Washington, DC – Today, as part of a series of actions taken by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) in the wake of last week’s derailment of Amtrak Train #188, the FRA issued an Emergency Order to assist in controlling passenger train speeds. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) issued the following statement in support of this action by the FRA:

“Above all, people expect safety and peace of mind when traveling. While the facts are still coming in on the tragic accident in Philadelphia, it’s time we take advantage of the technology that’s out there to ensure the safest commute possible. I stand by the FRA for acting quickly to issue these emergency procedures and precautions in the wake of this tragedy. The near 90,000 commuters who travel this line every day – and countless others throughout the country – need to know that that the highest possible standards for safety are being implemented. Last month, I introduced legislation along with Senator Menendez to improve rail safety on freight lines carrying hazardous materials after the lessons of Paulsboro, and in many ways the FRA’s emergency order will help complete the puzzle by extending these protections to passenger rail.”