CN and Siemens to develop new traffic control system

Canadian National and Siemens Transportation Systems Inc. plan to jointly develop and implement a new rail traffic control (RTC) system incorporating Siemens technology at CN.

The new RTC system on CN’s Canadian properties will employ modified Siemens VICOS(TM) and SINAUT Spectrum(TM) computer operating systems.

“The new RTC system we’re developing with Siemens will give us even greater scheduling reliability to control with precision the more than 300 trains CN operates daily across 12,000 miles of track in Canada. The fully integrated system, providing network-wide scheduling control, will meet our exacting safety standards,” said Ed Harris, CN’s chief of transportation officer.

The new RTC system will be linked directly to CN’s Service Reliability Strategy (SRS) computer system. The system will have built-in contingency capabilities to permit instantaneous business resumption of network dispatching at alternate sites if necessary, says CN.

The system will be installed at 46 traffic control workstations at CN rail traffic control centres located in Montreal, Toronto and Edmonton. Development should be completed in early 2004, with implementation of the new system to be completed in late 2005.