PTIS (GPS Tracking) On The Commuter Rail Discussion

Trip P516 yesterday had automatic stop announcements and it was smart enough to know that it was an express train so that the stops in Newton would be skipped. It's amazing; the night before the conductors would hold the button, yell (often) unintelligibly, confounding us with acoustic feedback noise, wind noise, and background train noise. Then these would come on and we could actually understand them! I'd say that the clarity of these announcements is on par with the top 10% of normal conductor announcements. My only complaint is why they didn't use the voice on the announcements for the train announcements at Back Bay/South Station/North Station. On the train, the stations are pronounced correctly; they couldn't do this for the station departure systems?

A notice was put out recently saying the final testing phase is in progress with full usage on the Old Colony. After that is completely tested and functioning it is expected to be introduced system wide line by line. I had control car #1640 this evening with a new install, and the latest version of software. From what I could see it had every train programmed! I will post an update when the first North Side line goes live with station sign linked updates. I would be interested if any Old Colony riders have seen this system in use at the stations.

sery2831 wrote:A notice was put out recently saying the final testing phase is in progress with full usage on the Old Colony. After that is completely tested and functioning it is expected to be introduced system wide line by line. I had control car #1640 this evening with a new install, and the latest version of software. From what I could see it had every train programmed! I will post an update when the first North Side line goes live with station sign linked updates. I would be interested if any Old Colony riders have seen this system in use at the stations.

The best part is, this update will tie into the displays on platforms. So now we'll see "5 minutes until next train" instead of "service is operating normally"

Greenbush will be the first line to be online.

Here is the notice:

NEW Passenger Train Information System (PTIS)

The MBTA is pleased to announce that testing is in the final stages for the new PTIS (Passenger Train Information System). This upgrade will enable us to provide our passengers with real-time information generated directly from the train. Passengers will soon see train arrival information on electronic station signs (“Next train arriving in 10 minutes”). The system will also offer automated “next station stop” announcements on board the trains.

The PTIS technology will be introduced in phases beginning with the Greenbush and Old Colony lines. We anticipate that the system will be implemented on these lines by year’s end with a system wide rollout to follow. "

I was wondering, will the Passenger Train Information System (PTIS) be used on the Red, Orange line? I would love to see that in subway lines.

itszjay wrote:I was wondering, will the Passenger Train Information System (PTIS) be used on the Red, Orange line? I would love to see that in subway lines.

Supposedly, its been possible, but not done.

GPS uses satellites that won't work in tunnels

Clawbar wrote:GPS uses satellites that won't work in tunnels

They can make that work in the subways same way they can make cell phones work on the Green Line: periodic antennas in the tunnels. If the tunnel's got a fiber optic connection (all of them will eventually as data and signal cables are replaced) you can drop those things in for multi-purpose functions like cell boost, radio communications, and train tracking. It's not particularly difficult.

I renamed this thread to keep it Commuter Rail oriented since that's the main point of this topic. Lets try to keep it to new GPS install on the CR trains and stations.

F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:

Clawbar wrote:GPS uses satellites that won't work in tunnels

They can make that work in the subways same way they can make cell phones work on the Green Line: periodic antennas in the tunnels. If the tunnel's got a fiber optic connection (all of them will eventually as data and signal cables are replaced) you can drop those things in for multi-purpose functions like cell boost, radio communications, and train tracking. It's not particularly difficult.

I thought the technology that was used to know when a subway train was arriving "the next __ train to ___ is approaching/arriving" was supposedly also capable of telling a given station how long until it arrived. This isn't GPS?

I believe the train arrival announcements are tied into the signal system and therefore are based on block occupancy. There's no reason though that they couldn't estimate how long it takes a train to go through each block and use that to provide an estimate of when the next train will arrive.

ags wrote:

F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:

Clawbar wrote:GPS uses satellites that won't work in tunnels

They can make that work in the subways same way they can make cell phones work on the Green Line: periodic antennas in the tunnels. If the tunnel's got a fiber optic connection (all of them will eventually as data and signal cables are replaced) you can drop those things in for multi-purpose functions like cell boost, radio communications, and train tracking. It's not particularly difficult.

I thought the technology that was used to know when a subway train was arriving "the next __ train to ___ is approaching/arriving" was supposedly also capable of telling a given station how long until it arrived. This isn't GPS?

Yeah, the same system that allows subway trains to announce stops accurately, and give us "now approaching" can be used for timing.

We have left the topic folks... Lets move the discussion back on topic!

If anyone would like to discuss this technology on the subway, I recommend this thread: http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 65&t=24603

Saw the countdown on the Ashland station LED today. Train P502 was delayed 15 mins. And as I'm reading the sign board, see Next Boston Train Arrving 5-4-3-2 mins.

How does it work at terminus stations such as Worcester? Would the board count down to the time when the train would arrive or when the train would leave the station? When the train arrives at the station, it sits there for about 20 minutes before going back inbound.

Well the latter wouldn't need GPS, the schedule could be programmed into the system. This would be a neat feature! People who didn't know what time it was, or what the schedule was, would know if they had time to go grab something, run to the bathroom, smoke, or whatever.