Major Investment Study / Draft Environmental Impact Statement   3. Conceptual Engineering, Operations Analysis, and Costs

3.1.2 COMMUNICATION AND SIGNALS

Signaling - Each of the six alternatives will require a signaling system to ensure proper train separation for safety purposes as well as to facilitate supervision and control of the train services under that alternative.

For commuter rail alternatives, which are presumed to share the NS trackage, the details of the installed system must be compatible with the different braking capabilities of the freight trains of the NS (which require longer stopping distances than for the commuter rail passenger trains of these alternatives), as well as the higher speeds of the passenger trains (75 miles per hour). This new signaling installation will also include the requisite new or revised interlockings to accommodate the new crossover installations that will be required to permit passenger trains to pass while also permitting parallel freight train movements. Because of the quantity of new or revised existing interlockings, their location within the existing signal blocks, the places where additional trackage is required to permit two passenger trains plus at least one freight train to operate simultaneously, and apparent existing short signal blocks, a completely new signal system has been assumed for all of the commuter rail alternatives. In the case of Alternative 1E, this signal system also will be immunized against the electric traction power system that would power the trains. For commuter rail alternatives, the installed system would be compliant with the requirements of the NS, the FRA, and SEPTA.

In the case of light rail on separate track, the signal system installation will have the capacity to support the more frequent service frequencies as well as the type of electrification selected, as discussed in Section 3.1.3. For Alternatives 5E and 5ET, where the trains would operate on City streets, they would do so at authorized traffic speeds, on line of sight, being governed as appropriate by city traffic signals. In the case of the tunnel operation portion of Alternative 5ET, a full-scale signal system with enforcement of signal speeds would be included. For Alternative 6, the new signaling system will be compatible with SEPTA and FRA requirements, since the vehicles will operate over part of the existing Regional Rail system.

Communications - A communication system will be required for each alternative. This will include train radios to permit train crews to communicate with the central control facility. In addition, communication facilities will be provided to permit public address announcements to be made at the passenger stations. Also, the communications system will include communications links with the ticket vending machines, traction power substations and other critical elements of the operating system to monitor their status.

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