Siemens to Automate the Two Busiest Commuter Lines in the USA
New PTC train control system will increase the safety of passenger service
Upgrading of both lines will boost the annual transport capacity for around 80 million passengers
Siemens Rail Automation, in a consortium with Bombardier Transportation, is to upgrade the train control systems on the two largest commuter lines in the USA under the terms of a corresponding contract awarded by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Siemens and Bombardier will develop, test and commission the new Positive Train Control (PTC) system for the North Railroad and the Long Island Rail Road commuter lines in the state of New York in phases by 2019. The new control system will monitor and control train movements on both lines. In future, excessive train speed or the overrunning of stop signals will be prevented by emergency braking.It is also expected to ensure more efficient service on the more than 1,100 track kilometers of track and to increase the transport capacity of these lines. Siemens’ share of the contract in the first project phase is worth around 90 million US-dollars.