Passenger Rail Systems - Competencies
Providing safe and dependable rail transportation service in our largest urban and suburban centers in the USA and Canada is an increasingly vital part of our nation’s infrastructure– so much so that the federal government considers it a “critical infrastructure” asset. Seeking more cost-effective methods for managing their increasingly complex and expanding options for better serving the regional population and business community, every rail transit operator accepts the fact that advanced technology is a critical element in modernizing light rail, commuter rail, and urban heavy rail services.
Today’s rail transportation services are managed from centralized, secure, fault resistant, technologically advanced, control centers outfitted by status displays and overview real-time monitoring and control systems. Macro’s Rail, Control Center, and Infrastructure practice area has the operational knowledge and the planning, engineering, and project management experience to design and oversee the construction and commissioning of these control centers and the systems that go into them.
Our firm employs senior, field-tested systems engineers – many of whom had prior “hands-on” experience in rail operations through their work for such operators as Amtrak and SEPTA. In other words, our staff members have not only been designers of these rail control systems, but many have been users previously. Accordingly, our staff has a deep understanding of rail operations and can effectively communicate with the agency’s control center staff.
Macro has been serving public rail transportation agencies since 1980. Consequently, our firm has been at the forefront of developing the set of specifications and standards traditionally expected from today’s rail management and control systems. Our firm is a commercial, long-standing member of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).
Our firm offers the rail industry the broadest, most complete and practical understanding of train control and communication systems. In addition to conducting strategic planning for the rail agency, we also regularly help our clients prepare highly competitive bid documents, facilitate contract negotiations, and oversee the subsequent design, installation, and acceptance testing. Our field-proven competencies in this practice area include:
- Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) –monitors and controls the movement of trains. Graphically displays train location, routes, and signal status to train controllers.
- Traction Power Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) – monitors and controls traction power substations and the electrification of and the power distribution (catenary or “third-rail”) to power electrified rail service.
- Integrated Communications Switch (ICS) – serves as a comprehensive and simplified user interface for wired and wireless voice and data communications between the control center and train operators, remote dispatchers, depots, stations, maintenance crews, security/police, emergency responders, and supervisors. Additionally can direct communications for passenger information displays and public address systems.
- Passenger Information – audio/visual systems that deliver real-time train service status to station platforms, terminals, transit centers, personal mobile devices, and over the Internet.
