Kate Ascher : After deadly train derailment in New York , people lament state of U.S. rail system . Ascher : Technology that might have prevented accident is being deployed on freight lines . Ascher : The federal government has been slow to respond to the crisis and Congress's inaction could be a factor. Although the absence of high-speed technologies in this country means that rail travel is not an attractive option for certain long-distance journeys and contributes to higher levels of pollution and road congestion in places , it does n't really make rail travel any less safe . , France show high-tech is n't safer . More investment wo n't make trains completely safe , she says . It wo n't stop human error .
Kate Ascher : After deadly train derailment in New York , people lament state of U.S. rail system . Ascher : Technology that might have prevented accident is being deployed on freight lines . Ascher : The federal government has been slow to respond to the crisis and Congress's inaction could be a factor. , France show high-tech is n't safer . More investment wo n't make trains completely safe , she says . It wo n't stop human error .