MBTA has announced that Positive Train Control (PTC) work being done along the Newburyport/Rockport Commuter Rail Line will conclude one month early on 27 August and regular train schedules will resume. As a result of PTC work on the Newburyport/Rockport Line being completed earlier than anticipated, weekend PTC installation will begin several weeks earlier than scheduled on the Needham Commuter Rail Line. PTC work also continues on the Lowell Commuter Rail Line, having begun on 5 August and scheduled through 1 October.
PTC is a federally mandated safety control system that automatically reduces train speeds when needed, reducing train collisions and preventing human error. In order to meet the federal deadline set to accomplish PTC installation, the entire commuter rail line needs to be shut down for crews to work as efficiently as possible.
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