Metrolink unveils crash prevention system

CHATSWORTH, LOS ANGELES

Twenty-five people were killed and more than 100 were injured when the Metrolink commuter train ran a red light and collided with a freight train.

At Union Station in downtown Los Angeles on Monday, officials announced the new technology will be installed on Metrolink's locomotives by the middle of next year. Positive Train control, as the technology is called, uses GPS to determine if a train is going too fast for the existing conditions, and whether a possible collision looms ahead.

If the engineer does not respond to a warning on their display, the train will be slowed down or stopped automatically. In the case of an earthquake, the $210-million system would bring all trains in the area to a stop. Ultimately, the system will be installed on most trains nationwide.

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