Re: T construction news
Roxxma,
This is one of my specialties:
1) All you need for buses and commuter rail is to have a small processor that takes the GPS info and packages it along with a unique vehicle identity, for broadcast via WiFi or via a dedicated radio channel to the secure / un-secure Internet
2 ) For the Subway -- you need to implement the equivalent of the GPS to allow the determination of the vehicle position -- while the vehicles are in the tunnel. This means that you have a GPS-like reference signal broadcast via tunnel radio, or otherwise you can independently determine the vehicle?s position through the use of either along-the-track-based, or track-side local position sensors ? in either case this will then provide the GPS-equivalent position to the vehicle. Then like the case for above ground the vehicle then broadcasts its position via a local WiFi in the tunnel, or along the ROW that may be connected to the Internet by a dedicated fiberoptic network
3) This system also can help with security as video, audio, emergency button signals, other kinds of sensors on the vehicles {fire, maintenance related, etc.,} can all be broadcast over a secure Internet to the T's Command, Control and Communmications Center {C^3}.
4) the T?s C^3 Center can then compute the expected arrival times for the vehicle at the various stations along each route and put that information on either an open and / or secure Internet for display at the various stations and possibly to the PDAs of the commuting public
As a result of such unfortunate events such as Madrid and London Transit terrorism -- a lot of the necessary infrastructure is either already in-place or in the process of being installed to complement the Charlie Card, stationary surveillance cameras, etc.
Westy
