"...May 12, 2015, an Amtrak [NE] Regional train from...D.C. bound for [NYC] derailed and crashed on the [NE] Corridor in...Philadelphia, [PA]. Of 238 passengers and 5 crew on board, 8 were killed and over 200 injured, 11 critically." -WP
A train was going too fast and derailed on a curve. Technology could have prevented this disaster and in fact, tech does exist that could slow down trains and prevent incidents like this from happening (http://goo.gl/Bd2SKp). Instead, Amtrak has squandered their time, wasting 7 years and now needing an extension of 3-5 years to make this system happen (http://goo.gl/sjUyOg).
Congress should act now and use existing digital assets like the F18 digital agency to improve train safety. 3-5 years is not a reasonable timeline for safe American train travel.