OCLMedia, an AV/IT Systems Integrator that delivers wireless, voice, video and data services, has completed a project to eliminate Wi-Fi blind spots and add bandwidth for Amtrak passengers traveling to and from New York City.
Contracted by Amtrak, OCLMedia was able to complete construction of a dedicated wireless network that significantly improves connectivity and delivers a true high-speed signal to trains while traveling through the New York tunnels and when stopped at the New York Penn Station platforms. The technology used- wireless infrastructure mesh from Firetide -supplements the area’s Wi-Fi coverage. Previously, when an Acela Express train arrived in the tunnels under the East River and Hudson River, Wi-Fi coverage was interrupted due to a lack of cellular broadband signal.
"We are now able to ensure Wi-Fi coverage in the 12 miles of tunnels and on the platforms around Penn Station in New York City," says Neeshard Ahamad, CEO of OCLMedia. "This is the first time this wireless technology has been installed in a tunnel system. Our mission was to link the advanced digital communications systems needed to provide the public with optimal service."
OCLMedia installed Firetide mesh nodes in the tunnels and on the trains. Firetide’s infrastructure mobility architecture allows for uninterrupted connection between the fixed and mobile nodes, delivering seamless Wi-Fi for the passengers. The fixed mesh nodes also provided an alternative to installing fiber in the tunnels, which would have taken two to three years to deploy and the costs would have been five times as much as the wireless mesh solution. OCLMedia’s timeframe was two to three months for this project.
The installation is part of the network that supports AmtrakConnect®, the free Wi-Fi service now installed on Amtrak Acela Express trains and coming later this year to Northeast Regional and other Amtrak trains.
"In this digital age, it is more vital than ever that our customers have Internet connectivity while traveling," said Emmett Fremaux Jr., Amtrak vice president of marketing & product development. "We are dedicated to the continued improvement of AmtrakConnect® to meet this need."
NJ Transit has applied for
$885 million in new federal funding to pay for renewal and replacement of aging
components of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor between Trenton, N.J., and
Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan, the Times Herald-Record reports.
The Port Authority of New
York and New Jersey Board of Commissioners authorized the agency to move ahead
with the purchase and redevelopment of Greenville Yards, a century-old rail
yard in Jersey City, N.J., that will serve as the lynchpin to removing up to
360,000 trash trucks annually from trans-Hudson crossings and New Jersey
highways by moving New York City’s sealed containerized solid waste and other
commodities by barge and rail when appropriate facilities are completed by
2013.
Port Authority Trans-Hudson
Corporation (PATH) has placed an order worth $321 million with a consortium led
by Siemens Mobility for the design, manufacture and installation of a new
Communication-based Train Control System. Upgrading the PATH system to CBTC
will increase the system’s throughput to meet future peak time demands, in
addition to increasing safety and reliability while reducing ongoing
maintenance costs. The project is due to be completed in 2017.
New York City Mayor
Michael R. Bloomberg, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Robert C. Lieber
and Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman and CEO Jay H. Walder lauded
the completion of the first phase of the Number 7 subway extension at the
Hudson Yards in Manhattan. The second of two tunnel boring machines has reached
the southern wall of the 34th Street Station cavern after mining a combined
2,900 feet from their starting point at 26th Street under 11th Avenue. The
$2.1-billion project, funded by the City and managed by the MTA, will help
transform the Hudson Yards vicinity into a vibrant 24-hour neighborhood,
containing a mix of commercial, residential, retail, open space and
recreational uses.
Final engineering and design work will begin on a pair of
new bridges over the Hackensack River that will increase capacity, flexibility
and reliability for rail customers traveling into and out of New York.
Under a contract amendment approved today by the NJ TRANSIT
Board of Directors, the corporation is advancing toward construction of the Portal
Bridge Capacity Enhancement project, a crucial link between Kearny and Secaucus
on the Northeast Corridor that will replace the 99-year-old Portal Bridge.
The board also authorized a contract for construction management
services.
"This project will provide an essential upgrade to our core
capacity and positions NJ TRANSIT to efficiently accommodate growing ridership
for decades to come," said NJ TRANSIT Chairman and Transportation Commissioner
Stephen Dilts.
The new bridges will offer five tracks – three more than the
current bridge – providing the capacity to take full advantage of the
additional capacity into and out of New York that the Mass Transit Tunnel
project will create. The complementary bridge and tunnel projects will
eliminate two bottlenecks for NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak customers.
In addition, the new fixed bridges will provide greater
reliability by eliminating the need for a movable span. The new bridges
will be built high enough above the river – 50 feet above mean high water – to allow
ships to pass underneath with none of the bridge opening and closing operations
that create delays for rail customers.
"The current bridge is functionally obsolete and expensive
to maintain," said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Richard Sarles. "This
project will eliminate a chokepoint for hundreds of trains and thousands of
customers each day."
About 350 NJ TRANSIT trains operate across Portal Bridge
each day, carrying about 150,000 customers. Another 30,000 Amtrak
customers cross the bridge each day. Amtrak owns the bridge and is
working jointly with NJ TRANSIT on the replacement project.
The Board authorized a $69.7 million amendment to an
existing contract with Portal Partners Inc. of Audubon, Pa. for final
engineering and design and an $18 million contract to AECOM-STV Joint Venture
for construction management consultant services.
A contract with Portal Partners Inc. for final engineering
for early action components was approved by the Board in July, 2009.
Construction of early action items, such as utility
relocation, is expected to start by mid 2010, with some heavy project
construction including access roads, platforms and piers to start in the
fall.
The entire project, estimated to cost about $1.7 billion, is
expected to be completed in 2017. A combination of state and federal
sources is expected to provide funding.
FIRST TUNNELING CONTRACT AWARDED FOR MASS TRANSIT TUNNEL
PROJECT
The NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors today approved the first
major tunneling contract for the $8.7 billion Mass Transit Tunnel, the nation’s
largest public transit project that will double commuter rail capacity between
New Jersey and New York.
The board authorized the award of a $583 million contract to
a joint venture of Barnard of New Jersey and Judlau Contracting Inc. of College
Point, N.Y., the lowest of three bidders. The contract covers
construction of one of the project’s three tunnel segments, a mile-long segment
in Manhattan.
"By improving this critical transportation corridor, we are
ensuring that our tunnels remain a source of economic strength and mobility for
New Jersey and the region," said Governor Jon S. Corzine. "This contract
will provide an immediate boost to our economy with the Manhattan and Palisades
tunnel segments expected to generate approximately 1,000 jobs and the Mass
Transit Tunnel project as a whole creating many more jobs over the next several
years."
NJ TRANSIT expects to receive bids for the Palisades tunnel
segment within weeks, followed by the third and final Hudson River
segment.
The Manhattan tunnel segment is part of an overall project
to build two new single-track commuter rail tunnels under the Hudson River,
doubling capacity of the two-track tunnel that was built 100 years ago, which
today operates at its functional capacity. The other main feature of the
project is construction of an expanded New York Penn Station specially designed
to handle the customer surges associated with a commuter railroad.
"This project positions NJ TRANSIT to respond effectively to
the demands of New Jersey residents for 21st-century transportation options
that decrease our reliance on fossil fuel while improving the environment,"
said Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Chairman Stephen Dilts.
The project is being built by NJ TRANSIT in partnership with
the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey.
"This is a major project that helps ensure we have the
capacity to meet the growing demand for public transportation," said NJ TRANSIT
Executive Director Richard Sarles. "It benefits residents throughout New
Jersey by creating operational flexibility system-wide, as well as
opportunities for convenient, one-seat rides to and from New York for customers
on ten of our 12 commuter rail lines."
The additional commuter rail capacity provided by the new
tunnel will remove an estimated 22,000 vehicles from regional roadways each
day.
The project is expected to generate and sustain 6,000 jobs
annually in peak construction years and create 44,000 permanent jobs after
completion.
Contract Details
The Manhattan tunnels segment will be constructed under a
design-build contract that includes final design and construction of rail
tunnels that will extend a distance of approximately one mile from a shaft at
Twelfth Avenue and 28th Street in Manhattan.
Construction will begin early next year, and is expected to
continue through late 2013.
The contractor will construct a 160-foot diameter access
shaft on the western edge of Manhattan, and then bore 16,500 feet of tunnels
averaging more than 120 feet beneath the surface to a new expansion of Penn
Station under 34th Street between Eighth and Sixth avenues.
The twin tunnels will be located an average of 120 feet below
street level and will proceed diagonally northeast then eastward and split into
four tunnels to maximize train movements in and out of the expanded New York
Penn Station as the tunnels approach 34th Street.
The contractor will perform the excavation using two tunnel
boring machines (TBM’s), massive equipment units that cut through rock and
other material to form tunnels that are each about 27 feet in diameter. The
total length of the TBM-bored tunnels included in this contract segment is
16,500 feet.
The Mass Transit Tunnel will double service capacity to 48
trains per hour during peak periods from the current 23 trains. Twice as
many passengers will be able to be accommodated, from 46,000 each morning peak
period now to 90,000 in the future. The project also will also create
transfer-free, one-seat rides for travelers on 10 of NJ TRANSIT’s 12 rail
lines.
The Port Authority is contributing $3 billion toward the
Mass Transit Tunnel project cost, while the federal government will contribute
$3 billion under its "New Starts" transit funding program. Another $2.7
billion will come from a combination of other federal funds, including stimulus
and clean air funding, as well as the New Jersey Turnpike Authority’s congestion
mitigation contribution.
NJ TRANSIT BOARD ADVANCES SOUTH JERSEY TRANSPORTATION
PROJECTS
The NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors today advanced several key
South Jersey transportation initiatives, including a study to evaluate
improvements to the Atlantic City Rail Line and an agreement with the Delaware
River Port Authority (DRPA) that will provide funding for a study of the
proposed extension of light rail to Glassboro.
In addition, NJ TRANSIT is taking the lead on a
Gloucester-Camden-area Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) study to examine the congested
corridor southeast of Camden along routes 55, 42 and 676. The agency is
also partnering with the DRPA for the design and construction of a new NJ
TRANSIT bus loading area across from the Walter Rand Transportation Center.
"Today’s Board actions advance transit initiatives involving
all three NJ TRANSIT travel modes in southern New Jersey," said NJ TRANSIT
Executive Director Richard Sarles. "We are pleased to work with the
Delaware River Port Authority to improve access to public transportation in
this region."
Atlantic City Rail Line Operations Analysis Study
The Board authorized a $735,000 contract with LTK
Engineering Services of New York, NY, for a study to identify Atlantic City
Rail Line infrastructure improvements to accommodate potential service
expansions in the future.
Today, the Atlantic City Rail Line is primarily a
single-track railroad with a limited number of passing tracks. The study
will look at the impact to the line and infrastructure needs resulting from
increased service frequency, faster trip times and additional stations.
Among the items to be evaluated are the projected ridership
impact of the opening of the Pennsauken Transit Center and proposals for new
stations in Woodcrest and at the Atlantic City Airport.
Camden-Glassboro Light Rail Agreement
Another item advanced by the Board today will provide for
the funding of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed light
rail system between Camden and Glassboro. The Board authorized an
agreement with the DRPA, by which NJ TRANSIT will fund up to $8,954,000 for the
preparation of the EIS.
In May 2009, the DRPA recommended that diesel light rail
service be advanced from Camden to Glassboro within the existing Conrail
right-of-way. The light rail system would serve 13 new stations between
the Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden and downtown Glassboro.
Gloucester-Camden Bus Rapid Transit
Today the Board also authorized a $750,000 contract with
AECOM USA, Inc. of Newark, NJ, for a study to evaluate bus service improvements
along the congested Route 55/42/676 highway corridor that connects suburban
Gloucester and Camden counties with the City of Camden and Philadelphia.
The study will identify and evaluate a range of capital and
operating bus improvement options, including BRT, to improve the quality and
reliability of bus service in an area that is subject to significant traffic
congestion and delays during peak periods. BRT relies on a combination of
strategies to improve service, including the use of dedicated bus lanes and
traffic signal prioritization technology.
This study and the Atlantic City Rail Line Operations
Analysis study are part of a broader evaluation of transportation improvements
advanced by the DRPA in 2008.
Walter Rand Transportation Center Bus Loading Area
Under a second agreement with the DRPA authorized by the
Board, the DRPA will fund $3 million for the design and construction of a loading
area for NJ TRANSIT buses at the Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden.
As part of the project, NJ TRANSIT will design and construct
a new bus loading area with a canopy, lighting, closed-circuit cameras, public
address system and signage. The project also includes repaving and
streetscape improvements on Broadway and the adjacent plaza areas.
The project will enhance pedestrian convenience and safety,
improve bus circulation and allow for more efficient boarding and alighting of
buses. It will also improve connectivity for customers transferring
between buses, the River Line and the PATCO High-Speed Line operated by the
DRPA.
New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine and Congressman Steve Rothman said that they are teaming up to deliver passenger rail to Bergen County with an extension of light rail service. Joined by N.J. Senator Loretta Weinberg, Assemblyman Gordon Johnson, Bergen County Executive Dennis McNerney and Ridgefield Mayor Anthony Suarez, as well as other state and local officials, the announcement came after the conclusion that another long-studied rail technology being advanced by NJ TRANSIT did not offer a practical alternative for Bergen residents in the near term.
“The time has come to put the Bergen in Hudson-Bergen Light Rail. The twin facts that NJ TRANSIT has settled on a mode of service and Governor Corzine is here pledging his personal support for the Northern Branch gives me renewed hope that the dream of passenger rail will be realized for Bergen County,” said Rothman.
“We can no longer wait for emerging technologies that make the perfect the enemy of the good. Light rail will enable thousands of Bergen residents to get to work on the Waterfront, or make easy connections to PATH and ferries into Manhattan,” said Corzine.
Bergen light rail will provide significant environmental benefits, including reduced carbon emissions, taking 8,500 cars off the road each day. The Hudson-Bergen Light Rail system has been a catalyst for economic development and a national light rail transit model with nearly 45,000 passenger trips daily, with a 24th station under construction at 8th Street in Bayonne.
NJ TRANSIT submitted a Draft Environmental Impact Statement to the Federal Transit Administration last year that studied both light rail and re-emerging Diesel Multiple Unit types of equipment. However, in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, the only manufacturer of DMUs that met American safety standards for operating in mixed freight/passenger territory filed for bankruptcy. A global search for another manufacturer that could meet strict Federal Railroad Administration safety requirements led NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Richard Sarles to conclude recently that the possibility of new DMUs rolling off the production line is several years away at best.
Sarles also acknowledged the Federal Transit Administration’s efforts to advance multiple New Jersey rail projects, noting that NJ TRANSIT has received the Record of Decision for the Mass Transit Tunnel; the MOS FONSI for the Lackawanna Cutoff; completed environmental review for the Edison Station Parking Expansion Project, the Lower Hack Bridge Phase II project, and HBLR’s Danforth Interlocking project over the last several months.
“We appreciate the leadership of FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff and hard work of the Regional Administrator and staff to continue to effectively move many projects forward at once,” said Sarles.
FTA’s release of the revised Northern Branch DEIS will trigger local public hearings as soon as this fall. The hearings will give communities along the planned service route an opportunity to raise any additional issues that need to be incorporated into ?NJ TRANSIT’s service plan. NJ TRANSIT expects preliminary engineering to begin in 2010.
At full operating capacity, the light rail service is planned to operate from early morning through late evening hours, seven days a week, with trains departing every 6-12 minutes in the peak travel periods. A trip from the northernmost portion of the line will take 21 minutes to Tonnelle Avenue, 25 minutes to Port Imperial for ferries to New York, and 37 minutes to Hoboken for PATH and NJ TRANSIT commuter rail connections.
Light rail ridership is estimated to be about 24,000 passenger trips daily. While the cost estimate for extending light rail has not yet been finalized, preliminary estimates set the price at about $800 million to $900 million. The Northern Branch project is included in the joint long-range capital program of the NJ Department of Transportation and ?NJ Transit, benefitting from a mix of federal and state Transportation Trust Funds.
More than 40 railroad motor cars from all over the United States will be stopping in Albert Lea, Minn., during part of a 100th anniversary celebration of Fairmont Railway Motors Inc., now Harsco Track Technologies, the Albert Lea Tribune reports.
The celebration will include a display of about 45 North American Rail Car Operators Association motorcars during an open house at the Harsco facility in Fairmont. The 45 restored cars were originally built at the Fairmont plant and shipped to railroads around the United States and Canada.
