A rail safety system is being tested this weekend on the train tracks that run through Pierce and Thurston counties. The system is called Positive Train Control (PTC), it's something railroads were already moving towards before last year's deadly train derailment in DuPont.
What happened in December put added importance on this system because many believe it would have prevented that accident from happening. PTC is a system that can override train controls and slow it down if it's going too fast or stop it before an accident occurs.
The testing brought some railroad enthusiasts out for a look. Fourteen-year-old Nathaniel Nagel is a self-described rail fan. He's even got a YouTube channel where he posts videos.
“I love trains, and I thought it would be cool to put them online and let people see what I see" he explained.
Nagel and his dad camped out near the tracks in DuPont to capture some of the testing. He believes the PTC is a positive step.
“Once the train gets too fast, it will control the train and slow it down and whatever it needs to do to prevent it from flying off the track like it did before," he said.
The City of Tacoma said test speeds would reach nearly 80 miles an hour. When Nagel’s waiting finally paid off Saturday, the train seemed to fly by.
“It was awesome! That was cool to get it” he said.
Nagel hopes between the Positive Train Control and the extra training for employees, more people will get back on the rails when Amtrak does return their service to the Point Defiance bypass next spring.
“It’s still the safest way to travel," he said.
The deadline for the system to be up and running is the end of this year. The testing on the tracks are scheduled to continue Sunday.
