Is Washington, DC Metro Transit (WMATA) looking over other transit systems’ automatic train stop installations? Today along the Red Line (the former 42 route) of Pittsburgh’s light rail system, the T, I spotted three officials in safety vests. One wore a Washington (DC) Metro Area Transit Authority logo (WMATA), another sported a logo I couldn’t identify and the third logo I couldn’t see. Those last two might have been representatives of Port Authority of Allegheny County and maybe Ansaldo/Union Switch & SIgnal. The T uses US&S/WABCO signaling and train stop equipment. The three men were inspecting the interior of a lineside relay case, then moved on to inspect another one nearby. The locations they viewed have lineside signals, impedance bonds between the rails and automatic train stop devices. Given D.C.‘s recent technical woes, possibly caused by the use of two, competing manufacturer’s systems, I guessed DC may be making the rounds to check out other operators’ ATS practices. Anyone have any info on this?
My guess is that WMATA is starting fresh with some new thinking. The consequences of boosting power in the cabinet to support the newer bonds are still an unknown. From the testimony of the track workers it was a temporary step until the equipment in the cabinets were replaced with those designed to be used with the bonds. It seems to be a time or resource saving measure, that is, track workers replace the bonds ahead of some other vendor coming in to replace the equipment in the cabinets. While waiting for the vendor, they increase power in the cabinets to keep things still working. It’s a theory but needs proving.
We’re a year from the accident and more questions are appearing without being answered.