FEC opens Wabtec-equipped dispatch center

Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) on July 11, 2015 opened a new dispatch center equipped with Wabtec Railway Electronics TDMS (Train Management Dispatching System) technology, which is being utilized to assist FEC train dispatchers in managing CTC (centralized traffic control) and TWC (track warrant control) across FEC’s 351-mile system.

“The new dispatching system has been in development by FEC and Wabtec for almost eight months,” said FEC Senior Vice President Engineering, Mechanical and Purchasing Fran Chinnici. “Both Wabtec and our dispatch system implementation team did an outstanding job of developing and integrating the new TMDS system into our rail operations.”

“The transition to the new dispatch center and the technology provided by the new Wabtec TMDS system certainly takes FEC into a new era for train operations and further demonstrates the commitment to leading-edge technologies at FEC,” said FEC President and CEO Jim Hertwig. “The functionality of the TMDS system will provide increased efficiency, enhanced customer service and prepare FEC for future growth as we prepare for the expansion of the Panama Canal and the strategically positioned ports on Florida’s east coast.”

According to Wabtec, “TMDS has become one of the most successful Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems in North America for a variety of reasons, but primarily because it provides a complete train control solution that is highly configurable to its customer’s needs, including Positive Train Control support, at a competitive price. Of the seven Class I railroads in North America, four have chosen TMDS to fill their CAD needs within the past five years. TMDS currently controls more than 70,000 route miles on 200-plus dispatch desks in North America. And in addition to a complete range of train control features and functions, TMDS has real-world experience integrating with PTC solutions. TMDS’ primary user screens provide a fully integrated display of all methods of pperation, including CTC, TWC, and PTC. This integrated method of operation provides a more efficient work environment for the dispatcher.

“Since 2003, TMDS has provided integrated track displays that resolve GPS position provided by communicating vehicles (locomotives and/or hi-rails) and places the vehicle symbol at the corresponding track location. The initial use of these integrated displays was in support of BNSF’s Hyrail Limits Compliance System (HLCS). The same integrated displays currently track ETMS (Electronic Train Management System)-equipped trains on several BNSF subdivisions. Other TMDS customers are now using the same displays to track their GPS equipped on-rail vehicles as well, giving their dispatchers precise information as to vehicle location, direction and speed.

“The original TMDS Back Office Server has been supporting daily PTC train operations since 2007. The primary role of the Back Office Server is to provide data interchange and synchronization between a PTC-equipped locomotive and mobile devices and the customer’s internal back office systems and CAD. It has been designed with the same inherent flexibility and scalability as the core TMDS CAD solution, utilizing commercial-off-the-shelf solutions to provide a highly available yet cost effective solution suited for mission critical railroad operations. With a single vendor in the back office, the entire systems integration process is simplified, lowering the customer’s overall costs and development timelines.

“In addition to Method of Operation Integration, Wabtec has integrated GPS vehicle position information into TMDS’ Movement Planning capabilities, including the TMDS String Line Display, AutoClearing, and AutoRouting capabilities. By incorporating GPS data into the Movement Planning process, TMDS can now provide the same level of Movement Planning capability for any territory, not just for CTC.

“While the integrated TMDS track displays are the most obvious indication of TMDS’s support of PTC operations, all of the underlying TMDS database support structures have long supported the operation of PTC equipped trains and vehicles. For example, the TMDS Train Sheet includes specific information with respect to the PTC-equipped status of locomotives and hi-rail vehicles, as well as specific consist information including Hazmat status, that impact the operation of the train relative to train route and mandatory directives that are required to be acted upon under PTC control.

“TMDS has been supporting the processing and communications of FRA Mandatory Directives to ETMS-equipped trains for the past few years. These Mandatory Directives now include Track Warrants, Train Bulletins, Track and Time, Track Tags (Restrictive, including Highway Crossing information), Permission to Enter Main Track, Permission to Pass Signal at Stop, and Weather Alerts. In addition, TMDS supports bilingual operations, and thus can provide Mandatory Directives in multiple languages—English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic.”