$2.6 Million Award to Help Implement PTC on NEC?

[John Bobinyec]

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/traffic/transit/Joe-Biden-Amtrak-High-Speed-Trains-Wilmington-391390732.html

I thought PTC has already been implemented on the NEC.

jb

 

[jis]

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/traffic/transit/Joe-Biden-Amtrak-High-Speed-Trains-Wilmington-391390732.html

I thought PTC has already been implemented on the NEC.

jb

For Metro North to complete the work on their segment. AFAIK all of Amtrak's NEC is already operating under PTC as implemented using ACSES II.

 

[PRR 60]

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/traffic/transit/Joe-Biden-Amtrak-High-Speed-Trains-Wilmington-391390732.html

I thought PTC has already been implemented on the NEC.

jb

For Metro North to complete the work on their segment. AFAIK all of Amtrak's NEC is already operating under PTC as implemented using ACSES II.

Actually, this grant is to Amtrak.

Amtrak - DC - $2.64 million to put in place authentication technology to fully secure the PTC wireless communication and data transmittal between a train’s point of origin and targeted receivers on the Northeast Corridor.

FRA Release

 

[John Bobinyec]

• Amtrak – D.C.
  $2.64 million to put in place authentication technology to fully secure the PTC wireless communication and data transmittal between a train’s point of origin and targeted receivers on the Northeast Corridor.[SIZE=1em] [/SIZE]
  

Yikes, does this mean the system isn't already secure?

jb

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

It a fancy word use to get funding.

 

[afigg]

• Amtrak – D.C.
  $2.64 million to put in place authentication technology to fully secure the PTC wireless communication and data transmittal between a train’s point of origin and targeted receivers on the Northeast Corridor.[SIZE=1em] [/SIZE]
  

Yikes, does this mean the system isn't already secure?

jb

Against capable hackers? Probably not. With the recent incidents of state backed hacking of government and industry supposedly protected servers and databases, the PTC system on the NEC may be quite vulnerable (along with much of our power and communications infrastructure).

The FRA spread $25 million around to help a number of agencies and small operators to implement PTC. $25 million does not go very far against the total costs of implementing PTC across the country. Anyway, one of the grants is for the Piedmont corridor:

North Carolina Department of Transportation – N.C.

$771,070 to equip five converted Cab Control Units with Interoperable Electronic Train Management System (I-ETMS) and conduct testing on the Piedmont corridor or within any adjacent rail territory of NCDOT’s rail partners (Norfolk Southern Corporation and Amtrak).

 

[jis]

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/traffic/transit/Joe-Biden-Amtrak-High-Speed-Trains-Wilmington-391390732.html

I thought PTC has already been implemented on the NEC.

jb

For Metro North to complete the work on their segment. AFAIK all of Amtrak's NEC is already operating under PTC as implemented using ACSES II.

Actually, this grant is to Amtrak.

Amtrak - DC - $2.64 million to put in place authentication technology to fully secure the PTC wireless communication and data transmittal between a train’s point of origin and targeted receivers on the Northeast Corridor.

FRA Release

Ah yes, I forgot about hat issue. This has to do with securing the radio links against man in the middle attacks. It is adding protection against bad information being inserted into a critical channel, like planting wrong speed limits for a segment by spoofing a message to a train.

Thanks for reminding me.

 

[jis]

Speaking of PTC on the MNRR segment of the NEC, we just heard from our friend John-Paul, who is an Amtrak Engineer on the NEC that now ACSES is operational between Milford and New Haven and he occasionally get is between CP 216 and CP 262 if I recall correctly. So look like MNRR is making definite progress on PTC at least on the NEC segment.

 

[Dutchrailnut]

only track system is active, biggest hold up on MN is no radio frequency available so it is not set up.

 

[jis]

Ah! So only the ACSES I aspect of it. No radio. Thanks.