After the recent Philadelphia Amtrak disaster, the nation is learning more about the potential for railroads to slow down speeding trains by remote control.

When it comes to positive train control, it appears Illinois is ahead of the curve. Mike Stead, manager of the Illinois Commerce Commission rail safety program, says there is serious progress toward positive train control for freight railroads and it will be a required component of high speed rail Amtrak trains between St. Louis and Chicago.

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Stead also notes that positive train control will mean engineers won't just depend on line of sight to detect cars and other hazards are on the tracks at rail crossings...
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Positive train control was installed on the Dwight-Pontiac section as part of initial 110 mph service. On the freight railroad front, it's already in place along the Burlington-Northern/Santa Fe Railway tracks between Beardstown and Centralia.