PTC

Five new shades of Violet™

Integrating so-called “Big Data” is one of the biggest technical challenges the railroad industry faces over the next few years. It’s estimated that, by 2020, there will be some 44 zettabytes—the equivalent of 640 billion YouTube videos—of available data. New hardware and software tools are being developed to manage such data and, most important, render it useful. Enter Violet™, a new LDARS (Locomotive Data Acquisition Recording System) from Wi-Tronix LLC.

Amtrak 188 engineer distracted before wreck, says NTSB

The National Transportation Safety Board has determined that the engineer of Amtrak Northeast Regional train no. 188 was likely distracted by radio traffic about an emergency situation on a Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority Regional Rail train and lost track of where he was moments before the May 2015 overspeed wreck at Frankford Curve that killed eight and injured 200.

Violet™ capabilities previewed

Prior to its rollout at the Wi-Tronix Chicago Conference on May 17, 2016, the company has revealed several features of its all-new Violet™ Locomotive Data Acquisition Recording System (LDARS).

For Wi-Tronix, orange is the new Violet™

Wi-Tronix, the global provider of LDARS (Locomotive Data Acquisition Recording Systems), has been identified for many years by its iconic purple Wi-PU. The company’s new technology, Violet™, described as “a revolutionary solution that will provide unprecedented monitoring for our clients’ high-value mobile assets . . . providing features that render all other LDARS obsolete,” will be sporting a new identification—orange.

Wabtec signs $30 million contract to provide PTC for NICTD

Wabtec Corporation announced April 14, 2016 that it has signed a contract worth about $30 million to provide equipment and services for a Positive Train Control (PTC) system for the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD). The contract is with Parsons Transportation Group (PTG), which will execute the role of System Integrator.

AAR names environmental award recipients

The Association of American Railroads on April 12, 2016 presented Michael Hoey, a CSX Transportation civil engineer from Philadelphia, Pa., the 2016 John H. Chafee Environmental Excellence Award. U.S. Senator Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) was the 2016 John H. Chafee Congressional Environmental Award.

Commentary

Zero tolerance for cellphones

The BBC has filed the following report on the February 2016 head-on collision of two commuter trains in Bavaria, Germany:

FRA announces $25 million for PTC implementation

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on April 4, 2016 announced that it is accepting applications for $25 million in competitive grant funding available to railroads, suppliers, and state and local governments for Positive Train Control (PTC) implementation. The funding is part of the 2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act that funds the U.S. Department of Transportation.

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