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Re: Metrolink Third Largest Source of Rail Fatalities
Author: J
Date: 12-08-2008 - 15:13
BOB2 Wrote:
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It was past time for the railroad industry to come into the modern age, applying the technologies we have to significantly reduce signal and train detection accident risks. As a result of the tragic events at Chatsworth, this is now Federal law.
Don't know that I disagree except with the inference that the industry has been lax in implementing advanced technology. The cost to install what we're now calling PTC is estimated to be several $ Billions and I'm not aware of any congressional appropriations at this point to make it happen on passenger / commuter lines. Freight operations, of course, will have to take care of themselves. One can point to existing installations of advanced control systems in Europe or even on the Northeast Corridor but it is one thing to control a relatively short freight train (Europe) or fund the nationwide nationwide installation of ACSES (NE Corridor).
The industry has been working this challenge for more than 25 years. BN, for example deployed the ARES project up in the Minnesota iron range back in 1980. Skipping over a few other projects, in 1998 the industry (with FRA) rolled out an ambitious program called the North American Joint PTC project between Chicago and St. Louis back in 1998. After a number of years of trials, the system was deactivated and moved to a research facility for further development (maybe). If you read between the lines here, you might conclude that it didn't do what it was supposed to do.
[www.fra.dot.gov]
Major roads are currently at work on ETMS which may or may not be fully compatable with FRA requirements for PTC once they are developed. This technology is not a simple bolt on that you can buy at your local train control supplier. Yes, you can purchase something today but will it be interoperable? In Los Angeles for example, will the system on BNSF work with the UP system. Will they work with the ATK or with Metrolink? Will the system meet the ultimate Federal requirements? Is it safe enough and reliable enough to handle both a short passenger train and a long freight train that has block of heavy loads on the rear? Will it be so conservative that it will waste precious track space? (When traffic levels return, this is not an insignificant consideration.) These are not smple questions.
-------------------------------------------------------
It was past time for the railroad industry to come into the modern age, applying the technologies we have to significantly reduce signal and train detection accident risks. As a result of the tragic events at Chatsworth, this is now Federal law.
Don't know that I disagree except with the inference that the industry has been lax in implementing advanced technology. The cost to install what we're now calling PTC is estimated to be several $ Billions and I'm not aware of any congressional appropriations at this point to make it happen on passenger / commuter lines. Freight operations, of course, will have to take care of themselves. One can point to existing installations of advanced control systems in Europe or even on the Northeast Corridor but it is one thing to control a relatively short freight train (Europe) or fund the nationwide nationwide installation of ACSES (NE Corridor).
The industry has been working this challenge for more than 25 years. BN, for example deployed the ARES project up in the Minnesota iron range back in 1980. Skipping over a few other projects, in 1998 the industry (with FRA) rolled out an ambitious program called the North American Joint PTC project between Chicago and St. Louis back in 1998. After a number of years of trials, the system was deactivated and moved to a research facility for further development (maybe). If you read between the lines here, you might conclude that it didn't do what it was supposed to do.
[www.fra.dot.gov]
Major roads are currently at work on ETMS which may or may not be fully compatable with FRA requirements for PTC once they are developed. This technology is not a simple bolt on that you can buy at your local train control supplier. Yes, you can purchase something today but will it be interoperable? In Los Angeles for example, will the system on BNSF work with the UP system. Will they work with the ATK or with Metrolink? Will the system meet the ultimate Federal requirements? Is it safe enough and reliable enough to handle both a short passenger train and a long freight train that has block of heavy loads on the rear? Will it be so conservative that it will waste precious track space? (When traffic levels return, this is not an insignificant consideration.) These are not smple questions.
