Among its provisions, the most notable was the mandate requiring positive train control (PTC) technology to be installed on most of the US railroad network by 2015.

The bill, ushered through the legislative process by the Senate Commerce Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, was developed in response to the collision of a Metrolink passenger train and a Union Pacific freight train September 12, 2008, in California, which resulted in the deaths of 25 and injuries to more than 135 passengers.

To implement the law, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) published final regulations for PTC systems on January 15, 2010.

[8] In December 2010, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that Amtrak and the major Class I railroads had taken steps to install PTC systems under the law, but that the work may not be complete by the 2015 deadline.

The railroads and their suppliers were continuing to develop software to test various system components, which could delay equipment installation.