The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority has awarded a $3.1 million contract to Battelle to perform an Independent Safety Assessment (ISA) and provide safety certification support for the design and implementation of interoperable Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) on Phase 1 of the Queens Boulevard Line (QBL) West project on New York City Transit.
“The new contract means that the world’s largest independent, non-profit research and development organization will continue its work on independent safety analyses in the New York City area,” said Battelle Program Manager Katherine Hagaman. “Uniquely qualified as the Independent Safety Assessor supporting The MTA/NYCT CBTC modernization (Canarsie, Flushing, and Culver Test Track lines), Battelle has successfully performed ISA in support of NYCT for more than 17 years with an unblemished safety assessment record.”
The QBL West Phase 1 radio-based CBTC system, which will be supplied by Siemens and Thales, provides real-time data on vehicle position and speed conditions, “allowing system operators to safely increase the number of vehicles on a rail line,” said Hagaman. “This results in greater frequency of train arrivals and allows NYCT to accommodate more passengers on its system. The CBTC technology reduces the amount of wayside equipment and, as a result, reduces maintenance costs and service disruptions. Additionally, the technology precisely locates each train and controls speed, improving safety and on-time performance for riders and employees.”
Development work is expected to begin on the QBL in September, with major installation beginning in mid-2017.