Passenger Trains > MBTA to shut Lowell line on weekends for PTC installation

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has announced two months of weekend shutdowns for the Commuter Rail line to Lowell, MA so that PTC can be installed. Buses will substitute for trains on weekends in August and September while PTC field equipment is installed. Article from Progressive Railroading here:

http://www.progressiverailroading.com/ptc/news/MBTA-to-install-PTC-on-Lowell-commuter-rail-line--52184

This is the first I've heard of a PTC signal installation requiring suspension of train operations, though it will doubtless be more convenient/productive for the signal maintainers to have the entire line at their disposal without interruption. If they're using the "forklift upgrade" method of adding PTC, it might make sense; if they're just adding on to existing field equipment, not so much.

Salem, MA lines to Newburyport and Rockport are already shut down and shuttle bus service is in effect until September. Busses bring people to Salem from the north and passengers then transfer to trains to Boston's North Station.. This will probably impact the tourist business for North Shore towns. The MBTA web site has all the information. Lowell is lucky that it happens only on weekends.

I don't understand this. Freight and commuter railroads have installed PTC on single-track subdivisions without any interruptions in service.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/19/17 03:59 by sums007.

sums007 Wrote:
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> I don't understand this. Freight and commuter
> railroads have installed PTC on single-track
> subdivisions without any interruptions in service.


But this is the public sector, not the private sector.

billio Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> sums007 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I don't understand this. Freight and commuter
> > railroads have installed PTC on single-track
> > subdivisions without any interruptions in
> service.
>
>
> But this is the public sector, not the private
> sector.

No, it's because ACSES relies on cab signals, which have to be installed and tested, and the MBTA is accelerating the timeline which requires extended possessions. Depending on what the MBTA has in mind this might involve a complete resignaling effort. Similar projects on private sector railroads typically run 9-18 months if not longer.

mbrotzman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> billio Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > sums007 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > I don't understand this. Freight and
> commuter
> > > railroads have installed PTC on single-track
> > > subdivisions without any interruptions in
> > service.
billio stands corrected!!
> >
> >
> > But this is the public sector, not the private
> > sector.
>
> No, it's because ACSES relies on cab signals,
> which have to be installed and tested, and the
> MBTA is accelerating the timeline which requires
> extended possessions. Depending on what the MBTA
> has in mind this might involve a complete
> resignaling effort. Similar projects on private
> sector railroads typically run 9-18 months if not
> longer.

mp16 Wrote:
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> Salem, MA lines to Newburyport and Rockport are already shut down . . .

There's a drawbridge replacement project at Beverly involved there, requiring weekday shutdowns. The lines were operating on weekends until July 8, when Saturday/Sunday service was also suspended for the PTC project.