Metrom Rail debuts new AURA PTC System for transit lines

Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor
image description
Metrom Rail

Metrom Rail, a developer of rail safety technology, released a new, modular PTC offering Nov. 2 that the company says can be implemented without significantly affecting train throughput.

 

Metrom Rail says its newly released system, the AURA Positive Train Control System, is designed to handle key train control, collision avoidance and worker protection needs in the transit rail industry.

Intended for transit lines that do not share track with freight trains, Metrom Rail says the AURA PTC System also provides speed and signal compliance, precision berthing and protection for workers both above ground and underground.

“Its modular design ensures seamless integration with both new and existing transit rail systems,” the company said. “Further, it utilizes wireless sensor systems that do not require centralized back-office operations.”

Jim Marchi, co-founder and CEO of Metrom Rail, and Rick Carlson, co-founder and COO of the company, emphasized that GPS is ineffective underground and standard RF-based systems have difficulty overcoming multi-path distortion effects from use within a tunnel. They say the AURA PTC System deploys Ultra-Wide band radio technology, allowing the system to operate efficiently both above and below ground and providing a reliable communication link from a train to signals or other critical elements.

“The AURA Worker Protection System uses a robust RF array to optimize advanced warning capabilities regardless of the environment or grade,” they said.

“PTC technology is vital to improving the safety of passenger rail,” Marchi said. “Unfortunately, many of the solutions available today require extensive infrastructure overhauls and significant spending. Further, they often take many years to fully implement, which delays needed safety improvements. AURA utilizes the most advanced technology to solve these critical safety challenges for transit agencies.”

Representatives say the AURA PTC System allows for easy installation, as well. While the timeline for implementation of the system varies based on the needs of the transit agency, Marchi and Carlson say the system can typically be implemented three to four times faster than competing PTC offerings.

“So, an installation that may usually take a year would only take months with PTCS,” they explained. “Timelines can be tailored for customers to ensure that operational times are unaffected by this process.”

Marchi and Carlson also noted that many PTC systems or PTC derivatives, such as communications-based train control, require a massive, if not complete, overhaul of agency equipment.

“This process is time consuming and also greatly affects operational throughput. AURA PTCS is specifically designed to function as an overlay to a customer’s existing infrastructure,” they said. 

The co-founders noted the system is comprised of individual sensor nodes—each representing a specific function—that tie directly into existing equipment infrastructure. If a function is required, such as worker protection integration, a node is added. 

“This modular design allows Metrom Rail to install a system that meets a customer’s specific needs onto any train at a fraction of the time required by competing PTC solutions,” they said. “This system integrates with Metrom Rail signals or legacy signals outfitted with PTCS communication technology, along with additional wayside sensors and RFID tags.”

The AURA PTC System also ensures signal compliance, speed limit adherence, separation enforcement and position monitoring by sounding a warning if a train operator violates operation rules, Marchi and Carlson say. If, in response, the operator takes no action, the AURA system will decelerate or stop the train. The system also comes equipped with a data recorder to enable transit agencies to monitor train and operator activity and performance.

“As technology innovators with experience in aerospace and health care, Jim and I have developed a knack for questioning the status quo and developing alternatives to legacy systems,” Carlson said. “After helping a majority of the Class I freight railroads for the past four years, we are excited to bring transit agencies a more practical solution to enhance efficiency and improve safety.” 

The full AURA System includes stand-alone collision avoidance and worker protection products in addition to the comprehensive PTC solution, they say.

Marchi and Carlson say the AURA Worker Protection System (WPS) is the only such solution to be fully integrated—as an option—with a train control system.

“As the WPS is an option within the AURA family, we work with our customers to identify how the WPS should operate in order to adhere to customer standard operating procedures,” the co-founders explained. “If a customer chooses to deploy only the WPS and not PTCS, we provide only this functionality and the benefits that come with it, such as event recording and the industry’s most robust wearable warning module.”

They say the WPS itself is made up of personnel modules that emit visual, physical and optical warnings, cab modules that provide information on upcoming workers, as well as wayside systems that can be deployed when no cab module is installed.

The company says all its solutions are developed in-house and can be easily customized to address the needs and requirements of specific transit agencies. 

An informational video from Metrom Rail on the AURA PTC System is available here

Tags: