The new contract aims to reduce the speed of the green line

The Agency now invests in the system of green line protection, which will first involve the implementation of audible and visual alarms to warn excessive speed operators and imminent collisions. The green line is currently the only part of the transit system, without the additional protective layer.

The next phase of the project will involve the installation of the technology that will slowly slow down or stop a train if the operator ignores the initial warnings – contributing to speed prevention, drivers running through stop signals and reducing the risk of trains to approach too much.

The collision avoidance system will be launched on new type 9 trains and in future type 10 trains, while the older type 7 and type 8 models will only receive the warning system, as these fleets will be in those in Following is retired.

“When I made this difficult decision to cancel the initial contract, we wanted to take off and I knew that time is essential,” said Eng, who mentioned that the agency has done measures to accelerate the implementation of technology by installing the anchors on the roadside The central tunnel of the green line during the repair work of the parts last year.

The system based on radio communication works by transmitting data between Wayside equipment and on board as the train moves along the tracks, which will allow operators to receive alerts.

“This is how the distances calculate,” said Eng. “This calculates the speed.”

EN said the agency recovered the $ 18 million, which has already paid BRB, which was purchased by the German company Stadler -a company that has proven to be incapable of delivering the extremely personalized technology.

Bill Wolfgang, Director of vehicle T, said the Agency stipulates that all existing green line trains are equipped with vehicle equipment by the end of the year.

In total, it is estimated that the project budget costs more than $ 219 million, which includes expenses for construction and material acquisitions, project administration and professional services.

“Our goal at this time is to make sure that we will receive phase 1 completed this year … but surely braking and controlling and signal violations, it will be a great priority,” said Eng.

In the last month, the agency has tested the technology. In a video of one of the tests, an operator was alerted when it exceeded the speed limit of 35 miles per hour and reached 500 meters from another train. The driver was alerted again when they reached 100 meters from the other train.

Officials will be able to follow how fast operators respond and reduce their speed.

“The key is, again, to add this additional level of protection that is above our existing signal system,” said Eng.

The National Transport Security Council has not yet launched a preliminary report on Green Line Crash earlier this monthin which a train with five passengers on board hit a stationary train that was out of service at East Somville station. The incident followed a separate derailment of the green line in October, near the Lechmere station in Cambridge. In this case, the federal inspectors declared in a preliminary report that the operator was traveling three times the speed limit, blowing through a stop sign and passed over a moving switch. Some were injured.

Speed was a Problem on the green line before. The agency also uses tools, including speed rooms and weapons to catch drivers who go too quickly.

“There was a lot of pressure on them to try to respect a program. But, unfortunately, our system and slow areas made it almost impossible to respect this program, ”said EN when asked about the green line operators who have previously expressed The pressed feeling to exceed the speed limit. “Now that they can respect better, we talk to our work partners and the workforce about the importance of maintaining the appropriate speed.”

Shannon Larson can be accessed to [email protected]. Following it @shannonlarson98.