Signaling switchover is boon to 300,000 LIRR riders
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief MTA Long Island Rail Road will cut over to a new centralized signal and switching control system at Jamaica, N.Y., during the October 23-24 and November 6-7 weekends in the final, $56-million stage of a modernization project. The switchover brings a new meaning to the familiar cry, "Change at Jamaica," a station that is the hub of all operations on North America's longest (700 miles) and busiest (300,000 weekday rides) commuter railroad.
"The new signal system upgrade will bring state-of-the-art computerized microprocessor technology to Jamaica’s critical switching area and centralizes the switching and signal control from three existing signal towers at Jamaica – including Hall Tower where the switching board was damaged by a major fire that disrupted service in August," said LIRR.During the cutover weekends, train movement through Jamaica is being limited to two of the station’s eight tracks (one track east and one track west" LIRR said, warning commuters to expect severe service disruptions.
A new microprocessor-technology signal system has been installed in three interlockings. Now signals and switches will be controlled from one facility, Jamaica Central Control, instead of the three towers located in each of the interlockings.
The project replaces the 1910’s-era electro-mechanical Model 14 Interlocking Machines at the three towers. LIRR says the news system will increase operational flexibility for the large volume of trains that pass through this area and will provide redundant signal control systems allowing quicker recovery time in the event of a power surge, lightning storm or fire-related service disruption like the one experienced in August, when high-voltage power entered the signal system and damaged the wiring to the signal control board in Jamaica’s Hall Tower.
