The North County Transit District Positive Train Control (PTC) Implementation Project, carried out by Herzog Technologies Inc. is preparing for Revenue Service Demonstration (RSD).
A letter sent by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) states “... [the] FRA finds that [NCTD’s] request satisfies the requirements to initiate the RSD phase of Positive Train Control (PTC) implementation on the railroad's San Diego Subdivision.”
RSD is the phase of PTC implementation in which the system is demonstrated to the FRA using revenue service operations. RSD is one of the final milestones in PTC implementation for the railroad and a major accomplishment for HTI.
"Reaching the RSD milestone is a testament to what HTI is capable of achieving. This has been an extremely challenging project on many fronts, yet the HTI project and executive teams have always been above the fray,” said Jim Hanlon, VP of Rail Systems. “This project is what put HTI on the PTC map and we look forward to leveraging that experience and exposure for years to come."
HTI began work on NCTD's PTC implementation project in 2012. PTC equipment has been procured, installed, configured, and tested on all NCTD locomotives and cab cars and in signal houses and communications bunkers on NCTD’s right of way. Classroom and hands-on training has been performed for management, operations, and maintenance staff. All segments of the PTC system have been factory or laboratory tested and integrated in the field.
"Although this project has experienced the same challenges that the rest of the industry has, NCTD has been at the forefront of PTC implementation,” said Erin Price, deputy project manager. “Reaching this RSD milestone is a huge accomplishment as it has allowed us to prove that the system works.”
RSD for NCTD is projected to begin July 5, 2017 and take one month to complete. Upon successful completion of RSD, NCTD's PTC system will continue into extended RSD while NCTD’s PTC Safety Plan is in review. NCTD will be one of the first railroads to enter RSD on all of their PTC subdivisions.
