Amtrak Introduces Alstom PTC Wayside Interface Unit along Northeast Corridor

The Northeast Corridor handles more rail traffic than any other part of the country.

For 10 years, Amtrak has used Alstom technology to keep its high speed passenger service running smoothly along the NEC, where it shares the rails with freight and commuter rail traffic.

Now, Amtrak is taking steps to update its NEC operations with the latest Alstom PTC technology available.

The passenger rail agency recently announced the purchase of 250 Alstom microWIU Wayside Interface Units (WIU)’s that will be deployed throughout the NEC, and along connecting corridors that are owned and operated by Amtrak. These brand new, state-of-the-art WIU’s play a vital role in Amtrak’s rollout of ACSES II Positive Train Control (PTC) technology throughout the NEC.

WIU’s act as the local eyes and ears of a broader PTC network by interfacing with switches, signals and other devices, and communicating their status to locomotives, central control systems or both as needed.

The microWIU selected by Amtrak is cutting-edge Alstom technology that evolved from the company’s global expertise in PTC systems and solid-state Vital Processor Interlocking (VPI) technology, as well as a design philosophy that puts safety first.

Alstom’s new WIU’s have additional features allowing for greater connectivity, compatibility and scalability in a compact, energy-efficient form. In addition to providing low cost-to-capability performance, Alstom’s microWIU technology can easily be adapted to serve small and medium-sized interlockings, supporting both the ITC and ACSES PTC frameworks independently or simultaneously with a dual mode capability.

To better meet the needs of both large and mid-sized arrangements, Alstom microWIU’s can operate independently or as an interconnected network of individual units that register with the PTC networks as one large WIU.

Alstom microWIU technology is just one part of a wide range of innovative PTC technologies that are making America’s rails safer, one system at a time.

To learn more about ACSES, visit Alstom at PTC World Congress booth #006, or write to us.care.transport@alstom.com. 

PHOTO:An Alstom microWIU wayside interface unit. Amtrak will deploy 250 of these units along the busy Northeast Corridor as part of its broader deployment of Positive Train Control (PTC) technology.