Railway Track & Structures - February 2009 - (Page 8)

AREMA NEWS President’s Column y now, I am sure you have heard that Congress has enacted law that requires the rail industry to implement PTC by 2015. This is an aggressive schedule that requires the industry to promptly address technical requirements and to work together to implement. I believe AREMA is in a unique position to help support and enable the industry to deliver this important project. Michael N. Choat, president of Railroad Controls Ltd., is the Functional Group Vice President for Communications and Signals on the AREMA Board of Directors. Below, Mike outlines the role he sees AREMA playing in the PTC arena. “It is an exciting time for AREMA c&s. With the new Positive Train Control legislation and the requirement by law that PTC be implemented by 2015, there is a renewed sense of urgency to enhance traditional wayside signaling, cab signaling and advance train control systems to include PTC functionality or co- B Positive Train Control AREMA's role exist with overlay PTC systems. Technology continues to advance adding additional requirements for guidelines to be developed. The C&S Functional Group has formed a new committee, Committee 39, to address Positive Train Control. Already we have had approximately 50 current and new committee members apply for Committee 39 membership. Committee 37 has already published a set of recommended practices for PTC functionality based on an interoperable radio-based cab signal system architecture. “Due to the interoperability requirement, PTC will require a very diverse set of stakeholders in the development of platforms, rules and standards. This will require participants from all railroad functions, including communications, signals, information technology, mechanical and transportation. Four of the Class 1 railroads have signed an agreement to co-develop the interoperability requirements and standards for an overlay system. Currently the road to interoperability is being developed under the pact between CSXT, BNSF, NS and UP using the resources of those four railroads. Onboard technology will mostly determine interoperability and currently the communications system will operate in the 220 MHZ radio frequency range. Quoting a recent industry publication, ‘All rail- roads will use a common onboard system-to be developed by Wabtec Railway Electronics-that will feature locomotive cab computers and back-office monitors designed to display the same data in a similar fashion, but differ slightly with regard to vital or non-vital system components. Wabtec might begin testing in second-quarter 2009.’ “I feel strongly that all rules, standards and requirements will need to reside in one place and that place would be AREMA. AREMA Committee 39 would like to extend a hand and work closely with the current industry committees to take their work and provide further technical writing to include all those as ‘recommended practices’ in the AREMA C&S or appropriate manual. “Committee work is the central nervous system for the AREMA organization. We need to continue adding new members who are willing to commit their time and efforts to creating new manual parts and recommended practices. We continue to need quality individuals to do training seminars and to author and present quality presentations at the annual meetings. All those challenges are ‘for the good of the industry’ and it is very satisfying, both personally and professionally, to make contributions to this industry. “If you are in the railroad industry with an emphasis on structural, mechanical, civil and electrical engineering, AREMA is the flagship professional organization and it is a must to be a member. Participation at the committee level can give a level of satisfaction that no other organization can offer. Your participation is equivalent to setting forward-looking recommended practices for an entire industry. If that doesn’t get your blood pumping, I don’t know what will.” Thank you to Mike for his input regarding PTC. The c&s group needs help to support the industry effort to implement PTC. Additional members, especially those from the railroads, are needed. Please apply for membership if you are not currently an AREMA member and then join a committee and participate in the work. If you are a member, but are not currently active on a committee, please consider participating in committee work. As Mike states above, it is very important and rewarding work. We also need help to develop and present seminars that will educate the industry concerning PTC and its implementation. Please consider helping the c&s group during this most important time. - Robert J. Boileau Robert J. Boileau AREMA® President 2008-2009 8 Railway Track & Structures February 2009 www.rtands.com http://www.arema.org http://www.rtands.com

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Railway Track and Structures - February 2009 Contents On Track Industry Today Supplier News AREMA News NRC News TTCI R&D Railroads Stepping Up Use of Technology to Locate Rail Flaws Rail Lubrication Realizing Great Potential M/W Challenges: Track Settlement at Bridge Approaches Supplier Profiles Products and Literature People Calendar Advertisers Index Sales Representatives Website Directory Professional Directory Classified Advertising Chicago Perspective

Railway Track & Structures - February 2009

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