Wabtec Corporation announced April 14, 2016 that it has signed a contract worth about $30 million to provide equipment and services for a Positive Train Control (PTC) system for the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD). The contract is with Parsons Transportation Group (PTG), which will execute the role of System Integrator.
Under the contract, Wabtec will provide its Interoperable Electronic Train Management System (I-ETMS®) equipment, TMDS® Dispatch and Back Office Systems that will include interfaces to the traction power system, wayside design, training and related services. The contract is expected to be completed in 2018. NICTD’s PTC system will be fully interoperable with the PTC system being implemented by Metra.
Raymond T. Betler, Wabtec’s President and CEO, said: “We have worked with Parsons for several years to develop and design various commuter PTC programs, and we are pleased to work with them on this implementation. Wabtec continues to demonstrate a unique and industry leading ability to assist customers meet their PTC requirements.”
NICTD owns and operates a commuter rail service from South Bend, Ind., to Chicago, Ill., on the South Shore Line (75 route miles) and operates on the Metra Electric District (MED-15 route miles). Currently, 41 passenger trains operate daily on the 90-mile route and are propelled by 1,500 VDC traction power supplied via an overhead contact system. The NICTD fleet consists of 58 Electric Multiple Unit Cars (EMUs), 10 non-powered trailer cars, 14 Bi-level Electric Cars and one GP 38P.