You Can’t Steal a Bike When Railhead is Watching
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief
Metra’s commitment to safety and sustainability includes operating special Bike Cars that can carry up to 16 bicycles. They’re easily identifiable by their blue and grey paint scheme, as well as a large white bicycle decal adjacent to the exterior doors. The two-wheeled “riders” on these cars are now more secure, thanks to Railhead Corp.
Railhead has partnered with Metra to provide in-car video viewing and monitoring of passenger bicycles on the railroad’s Bike Cars, introduced in November 2020. Railhead will be supplying a new onboard monitor that will pair with the existing Locomotive Digital Video Recorder (LDVRHD) systems already installed on Metra cab cars. “This enhanced and expanded system will give passengers the ability to view their bicycles and know they are safe while they ride with Metra to their destination,” the company noted.
Railhead’s onboard solution for Metra consists of a high-performance LDVRHD video recorder, a selection of state-of-the-art dome and 360-degree cameras and strategically placed monitors. The system will provide viewing coverage throughout the passenger area of the cars. “Camera placement will enable Metra to improve passenger safety through passenger compartment monitoring and responding to incidents as needed,” the company said. “But it will also allow passengers to see for themselves that their bikes are safe while in transit.”
“We’re always looking for ways to improve safety and security for our customers and employees,” said Metra CEO and Executive Director Jim Derwinski. “We plan to add more Bike Cars for cyclists to enjoy.”
Railhead notes that its systems “are designed and manufactured specifically for the heavy rail environments. The combination of LDVRs, cameras, monitors and management software enables Metra to reduce maintenance and operating costs, improve efficiency, mitigate risk and liability while ensuring video will be available in the event of an incident. Now the new monitors and in-car video viewing provides even greater safety and peace of mind for Metra passengers and their belongings.”
