Last summer I sat through a presentation on PTC implementation, given by an official from a certain Class I that is already several years into testing of related software and communication systems, as well as installation of wayside appliances. He made it plainly clear that the PTC technology mandated by our federal government will not be able to prevent every kind of collision or accident. And he said ALL railroads under the mandate are facing a sky-high brick wall with regards to the cost. Instead, his railroad and others are looking into something even more advanced (most easily described as a modern hybrid of GPS, CTC, ATS, and other technologies) that will do a better job of locating, managing, and spacing trains and personnel across the system in a way that will not only increase safety better than straight PTC but also increase capacity, reduce fuel costs, and maximize crew availability. Judging by how well Washington D.C. has (mis)managed other things, I'm afraid their increased involvement with our nation's railroads will only lead to the kind of cronyism, billion-dollar favors, and blunders that China's HSR expansion has become famous for.