Communications Based Train Control
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CBTC Mailing List & Discussion Forum
View and join discussions on CBTC and related technologies

What's Happening		TSD Directory
News   CBTC-related news and views		Train Control   Suppliers, Products,  Interface standards
Projects  CBTC Transit projects worldwide		Radio/Networks Suppliers, Products, FCC info
Positive Train Control Railroad projects		Consultants
Standards US & worldwide		RSSI Buyers Guide USA Focus
Conferences & Events   US & worldwide		Rail Technology International Focus
Train Control Courses  Traditional Signaling & CBTC Courses		Safety and Software
Papers & Presentations CBTC and related papers

Train Control Suppliers            

To the best of our knowledge the information below is accurate as of February 2003.  If you have any corrections or comments
please contact Tom Sullivan.  Also, please let these firms know you learned about them from the tsd.org web site!

Firm	CBTC  Related Products	Contact	Wireless Train-Wayside  Protocols-IF/ RF Partners	Position Determination	Wired Vehicle Network Protocols	NYCT's Canarsie Line CBTC	NYCT's Wireless  Network  (DCS)	Notes (Also:  Projects)
Alcatel	Seltrac® (pdf)	Kevin Fitzgerald	RF IEEE 802.11 Alvarion Inductive loop: Based on LZB	RF: AAR Standard Tag  Loop:  Loop Crossover	CAN	Follower   Contract  awarded  15 DEC 2000	Purchasing  Leader's  proprietary DCS	Seltrac Projects Successful  1999 NYCT demo used  Springboard IP -based RailPath DCS
Alstom	URBALIS 300	Naor Wallach	Proprietary	Eurobalise Tag	IEEE-1473-L IEEE-1473-T WorldFip	Follower  Contract awarded 15 DEC 2000	Not Kknown	Successful  1999 NYCT  demo used  Springboard IP -based RailPath DCS
Bombardier  (Adtranz)	Flexiblok®	David Jarosh	Proprietary Andrew	AAR Standard Tag	IEEE-1473-L	-	NA	Contracts at SEPTA & SFO possibly also SEA-TAC
GE (Harmon)	CBTC ITCS AATC	Jeff Baker	Proprietary EPLRS	CBTC & AATC:  Radio Ranging ITCS: GPS & Tachometer	IEEE-1473-L	-	NA	Railroad and Rail Transit CBTC. See AATC discussion below
Nippon Signal		Makoto Yagi			IEEE-1473-L  (Powerline physical layer)	-	NA	CBTC trainline  communications subsystem systems with GE
Safetran Systems	TBS100	John Paljug	Proprietary		IEEE-1473-L ATCS	-	NA	Focus primarily on US Railroads and PTC
Siemens France (Matra)	SACEM Meteor	Jon Bader	IL and RF Proprietary Siemens	RF: New Proprietary Tag Proprietary  Optical Sensor	IEEE-1473-L  and  Proprietary  NYCT R143	Leader Contract awarded 29 NOV 1999	Developing Proprietary  DCS	Successful  1999 NYCT  demo used  Springboard IP -based RailPath DCS
Siemens Germany	LZB 80	Thomas Mart Ralf Wennrich	RF GSM-R  Inductive Loop LZB-80	Loop:  Loop crossover	IEEE-1473-L IEEE-1473-T Both  on   Desiro for UK		NA	Many LZB installations worldwide
US&S	(1)	Denny Pascoe			IEEE-1473-L NJ Transit		NA	Working with Siemens/Matra JV for NYCT
Westinghouse Signals (Australia) News		Charles Page					NA	Web site is years ahead of may  in terms of useful and valuable content
Westinghouse Rail Systems (UK)	TBS100	Mark Glover					NA	"A further software upgrade allows migration to moving block."
Wabtec	CBTM PTC - IDOT (Comms subcontractor to Lockheed Martin)	Robert Kull	IEEE 802.11 ATCS 200  Proprietary: DSSS Mobile Satellite Multiple UHF Data Radios		IEEE-1473-L IEEE 802.3 CAN		NA	Railroad Focus AAR Standard ECP Brakes  IEEE-1473-L Brake Watchdog Monitor

The information below is based upon information tsd.org believes is correct as of November 20002. We often receive updates and enhancements from our visitors so please let  us know of any changes or enhancements to the information. 

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TSD's  "Evolution of Railway Signaling Companies and CBTC Products" 

1 - NYCT selected Matra /US&S to lead its CBTC Canarsie Line project. Project partners include MATRA/Siemens, Union Switch & Signal/Ansaldo and Telephonics.

Ansaldo Signal is the Netherlands holding company for Ansaldo Signalamento Ferroviario in Genoa, Italy;  AT Signal System in Spanga, Sweden;  CSEE Transport in Les Ulis, France; Union Switch & Signal in Pittsburgh, PA USA;  and Union Switch & Signal Pty. Ltd., in Brisbane, Australia. Prior to being purchased by Ansaldo, US&S purchased Transcontrol. Ansaldo Signal is a holding company reporting to Italian government-controlled Finmeccanica responsible for maximizing profits in the signaling industry. Ansaldo is no longer a public company. In April 2000, Ansaldo Transporti bought out mostly US stockholder's 4 million shares valuing the company at under $80M.

Alstom (formerly GEC Alsthom) purchased French signaling firm Jeumont Schneider in the mid-1970s. In 1998, Alstom purchased SASIB Railway of Italy (which in turn owned the US firm General Railway Signal based in Rochester, NY). In 1998 the original GEC (UK) and Alsthom (France) partnership floated shares on the market to reduce its participation in GEC Alsthom to 24% or less.

Formerly ITT SEL, Alcatel Canada's key CBTC product, Seltrac™, evolved from LZB which means Continuous Train Control. Original LZB trackside equipment was developed and manufactured by Alcatel (Germany) under the designation LZB 172. Train based equipment was a joint development of Alcatel and Siemens designated now as LZB 80.

Like Siemens and Alcatel (which jointly developed LZB), Alstom and BTR developed common triple modular redundant Solid State Interlocking architecture. The original SSI units accept hot-swappable modules and has been a standard for RailTrack in the UK for many years. Older TFMs (Trackside Functional Modules) are interchangeable between suppliers -- good news for buyers who desire not to be tethered to one supplier for spares but unfortunately newer units appear incompatible and not interchangeable.

SACEM, a fixed-block overlay train control system has its roots in a 1980's development led by RATP for RER. Three firms developed SACEM: (1) CSEE (now part of Ansaldo), (2) Matra Transport (now owned by Siemens), and (2) Jeumont Schneider (purchased by GEC Alsthom which later became Alstom). In 1998, French courts denied Matra's claim only it could use the name SACEM. Derivatives of SACEM have since evolved each incorporating changes requested by customers. As a consequence, newer versions of SACEM are all incompatible. The original Algol source code for SACEM remains in the public domain. TSD understands that in 1993 Matra ported its SACEM source code to Ada which has since formed the y basis for the inductive loop CBTC system Siemens now calls Meteor. Siemens plans to integrate Meteor with a new RF-based Digital Communications System (DCS) and use DS-SS for NYCT's Canarsie Line project. We have heard that RATP may hold some intellectual property rights to the Meteor technology. TSD welcomes input, comment and updates on this subject.

DaimlerChrysler purchased ABB's share of Adtranz early in 1999. In 2000, DaimlerChrysler sold its Adtranz group to Bombardier and the transaction was completed in April, 2001. In 2003 it remains unclear if Bombardier will continue to market Flexiblok as a separate train control system. Previously, Adtranz was a merger of ABB (Sweden) and Daimler Benz (Germany). Prior to that, ABB purchased AEG Westinghouse (Germany) which in turn had previously purchased the Transportation Division of Westinghouse Electric Corp. (WELCO - US). WELCO provided the train control for SF-BART and Sao Paulo, METRO based upon an advanced failsafe time division multiplex system. CMW Equipmentos based in Brazil is now owned by Alstom. The "W" in CMW came from a prior relationship with Westinghouse Electric Corp.

In 1999, GE Harris (a 50-50 partnership) purchased Rail Safety Engineering (US) and also Syseca but circa 2002 the Syseca group was sold to ARINC. In September of 2000 GE Harris purchased Harmon and renamed GE Harris Harmon. In mid-2001, GE purchased its "Harris half" creating a new GE subdivision known as GE Transportation Systems (GETS). The signaling piece under this group (previously known as Harmon Industries) is now called "GETS Global Signaling." In the late 1990's, Harmon enhanced and cost-reduced an advanced military radio network system known as EPLRS based upon technology first developed by Hughes Aircraft (which later was sold to Raytheon) for the US Army and Marines. The original Hughes development of EPLRS was completed under a contract for the US Department of Defense exceeding US  $500,000,000.00. Today, GE's EPLRS radio network is an integral part of its CBTC transit product known as Advanced Automatic Train Control System being developed for SF BART. GE's advanced EPLRS radio network is also sold separately from its AATC train control. 

Safetran Systems (US) and Westinghouse Signals UK's parent was formerly BTR Rail. In February, 1999 BTR and Siebe merged to form Invensys. With 100,000 employees, Invensys has four main divisions: Intelligent Automation, Industrial Drive, Power Systems and Controls. Invensys also owns Triconex a manufacturer of triple modular redundant safety computer systems that are also used with IEEE-1473-L technology to control and monitor nuclear reactors.  

Westinghouse Signals Ltd, Westinghouse Signals Australia, Safetran and Dimetronic have been members of Invensys Rail Systems since BTR merged with Siebe in 1999. In April, 2000 Invensys sold Westinghouse Brakes to Knorr-Bremse. Westinghouse Brake with 600 employees supplies metro and passenger rail brake systems primarily in the UK and Asian markets and freight brake systems to Australian and New Zealand. Knorr-Bremse, headquartered in Munich has 8,000 employees and sells rail braking systems. Invensys Rail's TBS platform has the designation TBS100. In January of 2001, Westinghouse Signals reported to TSD that its TBS100 has been operating reliably in revenue service in Madrid for since 1999 and that it is based upon an all new platform with open architecture and will provide the maximum resistance to obsolescence of the available platforms today. On July 2,  2001, Westinghouse Signals Ltd, changed its name to Westinghouse Rail Systems, Ltd

Please email additions/corrections/updates to Tom Sullivan

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Wireless and Network System Suppliers

Suppliers change their names almost as often as their links -- which make it difficult for tsd.org to keep this table current. Please advise if you know of a better  link or contacts.  Information is believed correct as of November 2002. We normally make corrections/revisions/additions within one business day of being notified. Please let these firms know you found out about them from the tsd.org web site. 

Firm	Contact	Interface Product #	FCC1 Grantee Code	FCC1 Product Code	Carrier Freq. Modulation Interfaces	Train Control Affiliations	Related Links / Comments
Alvarion		IEEE 802.11			802.11b 802.11a	Alcatel	What is IEEE-802.11?
Andrew (USA)		Proprietary Model 2400	KUW	MDL2400BDR (Base)  MDL2400MDR (Mobile)	2.4 GHz DS SS RS-530	Bombardier (Formerly Adtranz)	No longer a catalog item  Tunnel Planning Guide
Cisco Systems	Mar Bresnicker	Model 3200 Mobil IP Router			Supports many  different RF links IP layer 3 network communications		An advanced mobile Router (perhaps the only one of its type) Provides an IP connection iusing any of several available links from CDPD to IEEE 802.11
Gestec (Germany)	Thomas Schneider	EasyLon PC/104			IEEE 1473-L		Iinterfaces IEEE-1473-L networks to  industrial PC's using  PC/104. Drivers for for Linux &  Windows. Customers include Alstom, Siemens, DaimlerChrysler
GE-TS Global SIgnaling (USA)	Patrick McKenna	Proprietary EPLRS			2.4 GHz DS SS  IEEE 1473-L (and FTT-10 physical layer for trainline)	GE	Ranging radio developed by Hughes for US military. Hughes sold technology to Raytheon. Harmon purchased technology for  rail applications. GE purchased Harmon
EKE (Finland)	Anssi Laakkonen				NA		IEEE 1473-L to IEEE-1473-T gateway
MicroSym (Canada)	Greg Neff	A-190 Tunneling Router	1WJ		Packet Tunnel Engine IEEE-1473-L related products		Tunneling Router tunnels  IEEE-1473-L   through T1, T3, WorldFIP, etc.
Nexterna (USA)	Tom Vaiskunas	ATCS 200			900 MHz GMSK RS-422 and RS232		Owned by  Union Pacific Railway.  Formerly, AMCI.
Rail Transit Consultants							IEEE-1473-L Network and Systems for rail Vehicles
Safetran Systems (USA)		Proprietary R Link	2HF		2.4 GHz DS SS IEEE 1473-L	Safetran	I/O Modules
S2TE	Bruno Guillaumin		REKA120		2400 MHz ISM Band DBPSK 1.6 Mbps data rates!		Uses advanced RAKE technology to combine multipath signals
Siemens (formerly Matra)	Jon Bader		B5V		2.4 GHz DS SS IP & IEEE 1473-L for NYCT	Siemens	Developing a DCS using a DS-SS radio tested at RATP. DCS expected to be similar to RailPath
Siemens (Germany)	Wolfgang Roessle	GPRS			GPRS IEEE-1473-T	ETCS	General Packet Radio System
SpringBoard (Canada)	John McCormick	IP-based RailPath			2.4 GHz DS SS IP based	Formerly  Alcatel  Alstom Siemens	DCS demonstrated during successful NYCT CBTC Culver trials in 1999. Now looking to license technology
SmooComm	Rob Grossenbacher	7805-10			IEEE-1473-L ANSI EIA 709	-	Routers for IEEE-1473-L and rail transit applications

SS= Spread Spectrum   IEEE 1473-L (LonWorks) IEEE-1473-T (TCN)

Please email additions/corrections or related links to Tom Sullivan

Notes: 

1. For detailed radio information, such as manuals and photos submitted by the vendor to the FCC,  click on  FCC Licensing Information and enter the specified values for "Grantee Code" and "Equipment Product Code". Some radios in this column are still under development. Some have not yet been submitted for FCC acceptance and some radios appear already obsolete.

• On July 18, 2000 - AMCI changed its name to Nexterna. It is still owned by Union Pacific Railroad
• December 1999 - Matra (now Siemens) advised NYCT it plans to develop its own DCS for NYCT's Canarsie Project using  radios tested at RATP instead of the Springboard Wireless DCS it successfully demonstrated during Canarsie trials . Springboard Wireless Networks is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kasten Chase is now looking to license its DCS.
• Utilicom's original spread spectrum radio is now manufactured by Safetran.
• Andrew's Model 2400 DSSS radio is intended to be used both in free space above ground and with a lossy line in subways.
• GE-TS-GS (formerly, Harmon) now manufacturers EPLRS radio network system. EPLRS can be purchased separately. 

Contrawound Toridial Helical Antenna Technology

This link refers to new and interesting antenna technology. It may be great for subways where there is limited clearance:

• Circa Antenna Technology
  

Please email additions/corrections to Tom Sullivan

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Consultants
Click on Consulting Firm to view firm's web page. Click on Contact to send an email message.

Please tell these firms you found them on tsd.org.

Please email additions/corrections to Tom Sullivan. And if you contact them, tell them where you first learned of them.

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Train Control Related Courses

The George Washington University
Washington, DC

CWEG 809: Elements of Railway Signaling
Course Instructor
This popular course is for those wishing a solid background in the fundamentals of traditional railroad signaling. Click on the above title for a course description. 

CWEG-117: Communications Based Train Control
5-6 MAY 2003  Washington, DC  US $890  1.4 CEUs and Certificate provided by GW
For questions or to register contact: Tom Sullivan at +1 (510) 531-8411  Past Review

Note: The next class will be held the 2 days prior to the 5th International CBTC Conference (See below)
CWEG117 provides both an overview and a detailed understanding of the latest Communications Based Train Control systems now being deployed worldwide. It is geared to the systems engineer, project manager, operations planner and others who desire to know more about this new technology. The course covers the ongoing challenges of industry migration to RF from inductive loops, emerging vehicle train control and vehicle network interface standards, traditional and new safety techniques and methodologies being established Worldwide. Also covered are costs Vs benefits, open Vs proprietary technology, intellectual property issues, and lessons-learned when installing CBTC on existing systems. Taught by Tom Sullivan, former Chief Signal Engineer for SF Muni and NYCT's former Director of New Technology Train Control, CWEG117 has been offered worldwide since 1998. Course material is updated yearly. A course outline is available by clicking on the above title. 

On site courses are now available directly through Transportation Systems Design, Inc. with GW certification.

CWEG-118 Advanced Communications Based Train Control
This sequel to CWEG-117 (above) covers CBTC technology in greater technical detail. 
Course prerequisite: BSEE or equivalent and CWEG 117 or consent of instructor.

This advanced course in Communications Based Train Control covers design techniques and issues to meet the challenges of building open interoperable train control systems for the 21st Century. Topics include specifying and designing systems compatible with new IEEE Rail Transit Vehicle Interface Standards (including  IEEE 1473 & IEEE 1474) and other emerging interface specifications.

Additional topics include evolving circuit design techniques and tools, spread spectrum technology, software radio and bandwidth issues; RF "hacker protection" using message security & authentication; IP over RF, gateways and routers, new ANSI/EIA standards for tunneling IEEE-1473-L over Ethernet & IP, new mobile IP routers, and deterministic fault-tolerant fiber optic wayside communications. Discussions also include strengths and weaknesses of alternative CBTC/PTC techniques and technologies; vehicle Vs wayside centric architectures; RF Vs inductive loop communications and train control implementations issues using QNX, Windows, and embedded and open source operating systems such as Linux. Next generation Open Architecture Train Control (OATC), based upon fully exposed sub-system interfaces, using commercial-off-the-shelf systems compliant with ANSI/EIA 709 & IEEE 1473-L standards will also be discussed. 

If you know of other CBTC or CBTC-related/relevant courses please contact Tom Sullivan so we can list them here.

Aonix
Aonix makes software development tools used in safety-critical systems including rail. Alstom, CSEE, and Westinghouse UK use these tools. They are offering this free seminar which appears interesting:  

Safety Critical Software Development Seminars

Signal Training Solutions
Blue Springs, MO 

STS Provides Signal Training and Documentation services to the rail signal industry. Individual, Advanced, and Apprentice Programs are available. For more information contact Keith Holt at the above STS link.

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Conferences

• 5th International Conference on Communications-Based Train Control
  May 7-8, 2003 in Washington, DC
  This major bi-annual event draws hundreds of experts from around the world. Sessions include Transit and Railroad project updates in the Us and around the world, standards, communications, interoperability and "Beyond CBTC" are planned. Click on the above link for more details and how to register. 
  
  Note: this conference immediately follows the George Washington CBTC course (see above).
  
• Railway Technology Conference Listings

Please advise Tom Sullivan if you know of a conference or relevant link that may be of interest to others.

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Technical Links

Special Mention

• Bernard Greenberg's NYC Subway Website
  If you're interested in understanding traditional signal systems you must check this site out. Be sure to try Bernard's amazing signal simulator.
  
• European Software Institute
  We haven't had time to review this site in detail but it looks good. Lots of good information.
  

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Transportation Systems Design, Inc. - www.tsd.org
6543 Girvin Drive, Oakland, CA 94611 Voice: +1 (510) 531.8411 Fax: +1 (510) 531.7372