According to a statement from Boston Surface Railroad, the company and Siemens are developing a PTC pilot system suitable for the upstart railroad’s needs without the typically required track circuits for current PTC systems. The new system will rely upon Siemens’ ACSES-II and 9 Aspect Cab Signal Systems.
“One of problems with Siemens PTC is … the front end, the tracks, and the back end, the train, don’t talk to each other, they don’t communicate on their platform,” says BSRC Vice President of Business Development Chip Selley. When organization efforts began to get BSRC off the ground, the company’s president, Vincent Bono, who is also a digital code writer, developed a “connector” for the new PTC system in conjunction with Siemens. The new pilot system will be tested on BSRC trains when revenue runs begin.
“A bigger highlight of our PTC trials is that we are not going to use the very expensive 200/220 MHZ ‘railroad’ frequencies used by current PTC solutions,” Selley says. “Our cab signals will be done over the air versus traditional track circuits. The result is that locomotives will get not only the emergency stop signals and vital temporary speed restrictions wirelessly, but also the stop, approach and restriction signals, as well. A combination of satellite, cellular and WiMax communications will be used.”
Selley says the new PTC system will allow previously dark territory trackage to have signaling capabilities. He says once the system is perfected on Boston Surface Railroad trains, Siemens will begin marketing the system to other railroads. The railroad statement says the new system will allow seamless interoperability between railroad companies with the same systems.
“This could be very important for short line railroads, both freight and commuter, who want to have full compatibility with FRA-compliant PTC routes – but without the cost of investing in a full infrastructure to do so,” says John Paljug, president of Siemens Rail Automation in the U.S. “We’re happy to be part of the effort to make this happen.”
Boston Surface Railroad will be the nation’s second privately-owned passenger-carrier in the U.S., following Virgin Rail in Florida. Selley says Boston Surface Railroad is within about $3 million of raising the necessary capital to begin operations, and he hopes operations can begin within 18 months. It has already acquired a pair of EMD FL9 locomotives, and a handful of coaches from CalTrain, and trains will operate across Providence & Worcester trackage. The railroad will be a connector between Boston and southern New Hampshire, which sees about 200,000 people per day spend an average of 90 minutes commuting via highway between the two locations. “This is going to solve a huge problem,” Selley says.
Woonsocket is an Indian word–ask Sen. Warren! Woonsock-ETTE is the Franco-American pronunciation. They are thinking of running on to Ayer/Willows-Chemsford-Nashua. Mass. Bay RRE has had a public presentation from them at one of their Third Thursday meetings a year or so ago, they are doing their homework–but I will believe it when I see it. I DO NEED that leg of the Chelmsford Wye!
So nice to hear that FL-9s will be back in service.
Yes, they have been around for a few years now. They want to run local passenger trains Providence – Woonsocket RI – Worcester MA over the Providence & Worcester (P&W) RR.
Charles, Google and Wikipedia are your friends. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Surface_Railroad
New one on me. Never heard of this one. Since when does Providence and Wistah connect Boston to New Hamsha? Does Providence and Wistah have rights into Boston Naath Station? And why would two different railroads into Naath Station use two different PTC formats?
We need more on this. PTC is a detail. We need the basics: who what when where why.
Providence to Worcester. Really? That’s going to turn a profit? And how does that connect to New Hampshire?
For those who haven’t heard of Woonsocket, America’s most French-speaking city, Woonsocket is a French word for a place too weird even for Rhode Island.
The connector part of their operation would take passengers to/from MBTA rail stations to Southern New Hampshire. There would be no direct trips between NH and Boston.
Yeah the article says that but I don’t believe it is true. Everything I have read says they want to operate AROUND Boston not to or through it. That’s kind of an important missing anchor in the plan.
Charles, read it again, the article says it will be a CONNECTOR between Boston and S New Hampshire, being a connector does not necessarily mean it will operate between those two specific areas. It can be a bridge between areas A and D via B and C, actual origins and destinations are not specific when talking about a connector.
Ron. The article states the train will connect Boston to Southern New Hampshire.