Railway worker notification system receives patent

Written by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
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BART personnel were located at various points along the rail line to test the performance of the patented EMTRAC notification system.
STC, Inc.

A rail worker notification system that notifies maintenance workers, as well as train operators has been awarded a U.S. patent.

STC, Inc., says its now patented EMTRAC Rail Worker Notification is comprised of two main components, the onboard Vehicle Computer Units and the Personal Notification Units carried by rail workers. Optional detection units may also be installed in wayside cabinets along the railway to extend communications or to enable real-time monitoring of vehicle and worker activity. The EMTRAC system also includes setup software so administrative personnel can configure the system according to specific agency requirements.

The Personal Notification Units alert rail by a pulsed audio alarm, ultra-bright LED lights and vibration and STC says rail agencies can configure these alerts based on the urgency of various situations. For example, wayside workers who are not directly adjacent to the track may receive lower-level alerts delivered only by LED display. Specific areas may also be designated silent zones where the system will not trigger alerts. This functionality is an important aspect of an effective notification system according to STC President Brad Cross.

“Silent zones help reduce false alerts. This EMTRAC feature makes the system more user friendly because workers avoid alert fatigue, and they’re also less likely to become complacent when alerts do occur,” said Cross.

The alert time-distances may also be customized to meet agency requirements. For example, the system may be set to alert rail workers 20 seconds before the trains estimated time of arrival at their location, giving workers time to move to a safe area and then acknowledge and silence the alert.

“Evaluations conducted by multiple light-rail agencies provided data to show that the EMTRAC Rail Worker Notification System outperforms the competition,” Cross said.

The company explains that field tests of the EMTRAC system confirmed that the patented system met agency-defined requirements at the most challenging railway locations for both reliable positioning and timely alert communications.

 

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