Title: TESTING AND COMMISSIONING COMMUNICATIONS-BASED TRAIN CONTROL ON A WORKING TRANSIT SYSTEM: CAN WE GET THERE FROM HERE?
Abstract: New York City Transit (NYCT) has initiated a program to install communications-based train control (CBTC) technology, utilizing continuous, two-way digital RF communications between intelligent trains and a wayside network of vital zone computers. The contract for re-signaling the Canarsie Line was awarded in December 1999. The project has completed design and equipment manufacturing, much of the factory testing is complete and field testing is underway. The attractions of CBTC technology are significant; enhanced safety, greater operational flexibility, increased throughput, improved reliability and availability, and reduced life cycle costs. The complexity of implementing CBTC technology on an operational transit system is not as well documented. In many studies on CBTC, including NYCT's own study, conclusions are often drawn on the relative ease of implementing this technology on an existing revenue operation. It is often stated that CBTC, with its nondependence on track circuits, can be overlaid on an operational system and tested with a minimum of disruption to the revenue service. The reality of the situation is that many challenges are faced; NYCT's experience to date is that these challenges can be met, but require innovative approaches to integration and testing. CBTC, unlike track circuit, wayside signal, and tripstop technology, requires extensive testing with dedicated trains. Field testing in particular has many prerequisites; an equipped train with operational CBTC, train crew, wayside subsystem bugs solved, alternative transport for passengers, and the rest of the railroad must cooperate including the weather. This paper examines the overall testing philosophy; it describes the trade off between factory and field testing and provides some lessons learned that will enable us to get to revenue operation from here.
Publication Year: 2004
Publication Date: 2004-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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