From: jishnu@nospam.verizon.net

On 4/17/2015 10:02 PM, Michael Finfer wrote:
>
> One of the issues here is that SEPTA chose a PTC system that is
> incompatible with the one CSX will be using.  I am still shaking my head
> over that.  Interoperability was supposed to be one of the key features
> of operating a national system.

The PTC technology chosen by the freight railroads is incompatible with
high speed operations by their own admission. SEPTA, which operates
significant service on the NEC and the Main Line had no choice on the
matter of whether they will use Amtrak's ACSES or not, unless they
wanted to fund the parallel installation of freight PTC system on the
entire length of the NEC, all four tracks through PA, which did not make
much sense.

Amtrak simply installs multiple PTC systems in the locomotives that have
to operate on multiple system equipped tracks, as do Europeans, with
their plethora of legacy train control systems.

CSAO is having such parallel installation put in place between Baltimore
(Bayview) and Newark DE for through freaights coming down through
Perryville to get to the two yards that they access.

In any case, expect all high speed passenger operations to use a PTC
system that is more compatible with the European ERTMS than with the
freight PTC. The PTC being installed in the US is a case of NIH which is
at the end of the day somewhat less expensive, and not as precise in
most installations as ERTMS level 2.

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