Skip to main content

Wabtec announces PTC contracts with Metra

Wabtec Corporation has signed contracts worth about US$45 million Metra and Parsons Transportation Group (PTG) to provide equipment and services for a Positive Train Control (PTC) system for the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation (Metra). Metra operates commuter rail service in Chicago and its surrounding suburbs, serving more than 100 communities at 241 rail stations, with a fleet of 146 locomotives, 843 passenger cars and 185 electric-propelled cars. Under the contracts, Wa
December 18, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
6079 Wabtec Corporation has signed contracts worth about US$45 million Metra and 4089 Parsons Transportation Group (PTG) to provide equipment and services for a Positive Train Control (PTC) system for the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation (Metra).
 
Metra operates commuter rail service in Chicago and its surrounding suburbs, serving more than 100 communities at 241 rail stations, with a fleet of 146 locomotives, 843 passenger cars and 185 electric-propelled cars.
 
Under the contracts, Wabtec will provide interoperable electronic train management system (I-ETMS) equipment, including kits and replacement components.  In addition, Wabtec will provide its TMDS back office system, as well as track data, training and related services.  Metra’s PTC system will be fully interoperable with PTC systems being implemented by Class I railroads in the US.
 
Raymond T. Betler, Wabtec’s president and chief executive officer, said:  “We have worked with Metra for several years to develop and design their PTC program, and we are pleased to help in its implementation.  Wabtec continues to demonstrate a unique and industry-leading ability to assist customers in meeting their PTC requirements.”
 
Betler also commented on the recent passage of the U.S. transportation funding bill, a five-year bill now known as the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act:  “The new bill includes several provisions that should be good for the U.S. transit industry and, therefore, for Wabtec.  For example, this is the first multi-year bill passed in a decade, and that means transit agencies should have a longer-term planning horizon for potential projects. In addition, the bill calls for a 10.2 percent funding increase in year one and further increases in future years.  When coupled with our strong backlog of transit projects around the world, the new bill is another reason to be optimistic about Wabtec’s long-term growth opportunities in the transit market.”

Related Content

  • November 7, 2012
    Europe's electronic toll service closer to operational reality
    After much debate and delay, a unifying European Electronic Toll Service is now finally on the horizon, says ASFiNAG’s Klaus Schierhackl. Here, he talks with Jason Barnes about what that might mean. Aworkable European Electronic Toll Service (EETS) which will allow truck drivers to travel across the continent and pay tolls using a single account and OnBoard Unit (OBU) was originally timetabled to be in place and operating by October of this year. A lack of urgency from some of the stakeholders involved in t
  • September 14, 2015
    More Norwegian tolling contracts for Q-Free
    The Norwegian Roads Administration has awarded a contract valued at around US$4.5 million to Q-Free for four toll contracts in Oppland, Norway. The contracts include installation of charging points, including gantries and roadside equipment, along with service and maintenance after the completion of the installation, as well as options for additional project and service and maintenance works. “Q-Free is pleased to win these contracts for delivery and support of four smaller Autopass tolling projects
  • May 10, 2017
    3M reflect on why CAVs need lines and signs
    Tammy Meehan and Thomas Hedblom of 3M consider the ongoing development of technology needed to introduce connected and autonomous vehicles. The transportation industry is in the midst of the most dramatic shift since Henry Ford introduced horseless carriages. Already we are seeing the increased use of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) which, along with the introduction of autonomous vehicles in the next few decades, will bring profound changes to vehicles and the environment in which they operate.
  • December 23, 2014
    Obama optimistic about transportation bill
    President Obama said in his year-end press conference on Friday that he believes Congress can reach a bipartisan agreement on a long-term transportation funding bill next year, despite years of temporary extensions emanating from Washington.