Rail Group On Air

This edition of our continuing series with the Commuter Rail Coalition takes a look ahead at technology, policy and performance. What’s next as Positive Train Control evolves to “PTC 2.0”? What’s possible? Jim Derwinski, Metra CEO/Executive Director and CRC Chair; Eileen Reilly, Global Train Services LLC CEO and CRC Board Member; John Cline, Principal, Cline Strategic Consulting and CRC Board Member; and CRC Executive Director KellyAnne Gallagher discuss the issues with Railway Age Editor-in-Chief William C. Vantuono.

Industry 4.0 (also known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution) is a reality. Railroads, including their partners in the transportation supply chain, are at the beginning of their journey to establishing true end-to-end digital continuity. For example: Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT); Positive Train Control (PTC) and Enhanced Train Control (ETC); and AI (artificial intelligence)-based automation such as expanding autonomous inspection to include predictive analytics for track data. How do we know that these solutions and systems are safe and that there are no lurking issues? How do we know that the integration of multiple components from vendors, partners, and even from within meet safety objectives? How do we know if safety integrity is preserved after a change is made? How do we shift the paradigm where safety moves from a cost center to a value-added business driver? In Part I of this three-part series, Sonia Bot, The BOT Consulting Group Inc., and Tony Zenga, CMTIGroup Inc., make the case for system safety as the necessary discipline for railroads to embed as they move forward in innovating and advancing in the 21st century.

This installment of the Rail Group On Air podcast series sponsored by the Commuter Rail Coalition features Virginia Rail Express CEO Rich Dalton, who discusses COVID-19 recovery, his U.S. Navy experience, PTC implementation, working with numerous Commonwealth of Virginia stakeholders, VRE’s relationship with CSX, Norfolk Southern and Amtrak, and capital projects, for both infrastructure and equipment.

RT&S Editor-in-Chief Bill Wilson talks with RT&S 2020 Engineer of the Year Ed Boyle. Boyle is the vice president of engineering with Norfolk Southern.

RT&S Editor-in-Chief Bill Wilson talks with William Ibbs, a University of California at Berkeley civil engineer professor who has worldwide experience working on high-speed rail projects, about California High-Speed Rail Authority's Road 27 bridge. Ibbs viewpoint is not meant to criticize the work on the Road 27 bridge.

In Part 3, the conclusion of our series on “PSR 2.0,” Sonia Bot and John Orr discuss their systematic and modern approach for delivering value while taking Precision Scheduled Railroading to the next logical steps in its evolution: Precision Scheduled Transportation, pushing the envelope now and in the future toward a major shift in thinking and delivering an integrated transportation system. “When you share objectives, your overall value increases; taking a shared systematic approach for implementing PSR 2.0 ensures low risk, high gain and least cost. Start with the end state in mind, in this case, the future vision of PSR 2.0. Then assess the current state to establish the starting position. In well-defined value-added iterations, the journey to the future vision progresses. It’s an iterative journey, with new discoveries or entry of new forces that could not have been predicted. Knowing when to pivot—and having the organizational capability to do so—are key, as progression on the familiar, comfortable path is self-limiting and counterproductive. Each railroad and ecosystem partner must follow this progression according to their respective timing and pace of adoption.”

Recently installed Amtrak President and CEO Bill Flynn and Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating and Commercial Officer Stephen Gardner discuss the company’s role as a provider of national passenger rail service with Editor-in-Chief William C. Vantuono. What is their long-term vision for Amtrak? What role do they see intercity passenger rail playing in the national transportation network? What is Amtrak’s plan for long-distance trains? For short- to medium distance corridor services? Is Amtrak truly bound by politics, as is widely perceived? What is the solution to the problem of having to request funding from Congress every year? Is it fair to characterize Amtrak, as some critics have said, as a “monopoly”? Flynn and Gardner talk candidly about these and other issues as Amtrak approaches its 50th year.

This edition of Railway Age’s Rail Group On Air podcast series with the Commuter Rail Coalition features Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District/South Shore Line President and CRC Vice Chairman Mike Noland. Editor-in-Chief William C. Vantuono and Noland discuss system capacity enhancements, expansion programs, bipartisan support for NICTD, COVID-19 safety, PTC deployment and the symbiotic relationship between the South Shore commuter rail and freight operators.

MTA Long Island Rail Road President Phil Eng and Chief Innovation Officer Will Fisher describe enhancements to the LIRR’s Train Time® App, which now provides real-time information to customers. “The Route of the Dashing Commuter” is now the route of the informed commuter. Podcast sponsored by the Commuter Rail Coalition.

Sound Transit is constructing a floating rail bridge in the state of Washington. The project is full of challenges and could be the most complex of its kind in the world. RT&S talks with Sound Transit's Sepehr Sobhani, who is a principal construction manager on the job.