PTC Project 2017 - 2018 Positive Train Control homestretch

This seems worth its own thread (sorry if duplicative: I could not find one with PTC or Positive in its thread title): The T has published a weekend shutdown schedule for pretty much the entire PTC rollout:

Commuter Rail Positive Train Control (PTC) Program

2017 Weekend train service is projected to be suspended for:

• The Newburyport/Rockport Line starting the weekend of July 8, 2017 through the weekend of September 30, 2017.
• The Lowell Line starting the weekend of August 5, 2017 through the weekend of September 30, 2017.
• The Needham Line starting the weekend of September 23, 2017 through the weekend of November 25, 2017.
• The Haverhill Line starting the weekend of September 23, 2017 through the weekend of December 2, 2017.
• The Fairmount Line starting the weekend of November 18, 2017 through the weekend of December 23, 2017.
• 2018 PTC weekend shutdowns will be finalized by late 2017/early 2018 in order to start back up in Spring of 2018, and will impact the
  • Franklin,
  • Fitchburg, and
  • Worcester Commuter Rail lines.
• No weekend shutdowns are required on the Greenbush, Middleborough, Providence/Stoughton, and Kingston/Plymouth Commuter Rail lines.

[bolds and some formatting mine]

By finishing the work in Spring/Summer of 2018, they've done a nice job of meeting the December 31, 2018 federal deadline.

Q: when each MBTA line's PTC gear installation work is complete after the weekend shutdowns, will PTC be immediately operational on each line? Or is there another date where all lines will be cut-in at one time once all lines' installations are completed in 2018? If the former, I'm guessing that a few PAR locomotives will need to be made PTC operational this year?

From reading the most recent presentation to the FMCB, it sounds to me like only Lowell and Stoughton are going to be online by the end of 2018.

See pages 2 and 6:
http://www.mbta.com/uploadedfiles/About_the_T/Board_Meetings/PTC%20Update%206-26-17%20FOR%20POSTING.pdf

Everything else is going to be online in 2019 and 2020.

If this is true I'm guessing it's because of all the PAR engines that need to be upgraded as well?

No, it is because they need to have one new, working demonstration on both North and South sides by the deadline. PAR operates on the Lowell Line, so they'd definitely need to have some compliant equipment by then.

RenegadeMonster wrote:If this is true I'm guessing it's because of all the PAR engines that need to be upgraded as well?

There is an agreement for a limited amount of PAR locos to get the PTC set up, not all of them.

T Alerts are announcing that weekend busing on the Eastern Route will go through August 27th, so looks like the PTC weekend closures will end about a month earlier than originally expected.

T Press Release - work will start on Needham Branch first weekend in September:

http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/news ... 6442458458" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As with Newburyport/Rockport, the PTC install on the Needham Line is wrapping up a month early, with Saturday service resuming on October 28.
https://www.mbta.com/news/3057" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Does anyone know if the PTC transponders mounted to the ties will present a problem for the flanger? Or do they have a low profile that wouldn't impact flanging? I haven't taken a close look at one, so I'm not sure. I also haven't noticed if they put up those warning markers which indicate raising the flanger blade.

From the photos posted in one of the Needham Line threads a few months ago, it looks like the transponders are sufficiently low-profile to not impact the flangers, which only go an inch or 2 below the railhead. Worst case scenario, they have to install warning signs on either side of the transponders like they do with switches and grade crossings.

It looks like some of the PTC work being done involved on the worcester line involves putting up wood poles at various places. It looks a bit.... dated

I think they added the wood poles on pretty much every line.

I would assume because it's cheaper and faster than burying it?

I believe PTC works by GPS and Radio, both of which like the height

RenegadeMonster wrote:I think they added the wood poles on pretty much every line.

I would assume because it's cheaper and faster than burying it?

They have put up metal ones at Reading Jct (MP 1.8) and CP Foley St. (MP 2.2). One other thing I noticed is they seem to be hinged so they can be rotated from vertical to horizontal for maintenance.

JoeD

Well, by having these poles & wires above ground these will be the first things that fail when we have trees fall on the right of way. And after last year, we can guarantee that will happen.