TSM
Project Experience
•
Operations and Management Services
•
System Safety Audits and Regulatory Compliance Audits
•
System Safety Program Plan Development and Implementation
•
Emergency Response Training and Reference Material
•
New Start Rail Systems Planning, Implementation
and Management
•
System Privatization, Restructuring, Capacity Analysis
and Operational Planning
•
High Speed Rail Feasibility Studies and Conceptual
Planning
•
Transportation Planning and Information Systems
•
Training Program Development
•
Development of Safety Standards
Operations
and Management Services
Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company (MBCR)
Ongoing provision of safety management services for MBCR’s operation
of the MBTA’s Boston commuter rail service. Responsibilities include
development, delivery and implementation of safety, regulatory compliance
and security plans. These plans include System Safety Plan, Emergency
Preparedness Plan, Internal Control Plan, Test & Observation Program,
Drug & Alcohol Testing Programs, Accident Investigation Program.
Alaska
Railroad Corporation (ARRC)
Audit of ARRC’s passenger train operations and Passenger Services
Department. Evaluation of train dispatching methods, transportation
planning and management effectiveness.
South
African Railways (Spoornet)
Examination of safety programs, practices and procedures and overall
management evaluation of the performance and productivity of South Africa’s
four major commuter rail systems: Johannesburg, Capetown, Durban, and
Pretoria. Development of a set of comprehensive new commuter train schedules
for the Durban service.
Sound
Transit
Evaluation of train operating practices and infrastructure condition
for the Sounder (Seattle, WA) commuter rail service.
Government
of Ontario (GO) Transit
Development of a new maintenance contract for the maintenance of GO’s
fleet of commuter rail locomotives and coaches used in the Toronto commuter
rail service. Assistance in the transition to a new maintenance contractor,
including structuring of the agency/contractor working relationship
and development of the contractor’s System Safety Plan.
Chicago
Planning Study (AAR)
Evaluation of train dispatching and operating practices and development
of a mitigation plan to reduce congestion throughout the complex Chicago
rail network.
System
Safety Audits and Regulatory Compliance Audits
Safety audits of numerous rail properties including:
Freight —
Bangor and Aroostook; Boston and Maine; Cape Cod and Hyannis; Chicago,
South Shore and South Bend; Conrail; CSX; Elgin, Joliet & Eastern;
Grand Trunk; Illinois Central; Indiana Harbor Belt; Iowa Interstate;
Maine Central; Norfolk Southern; Wisconsin Central
Passenger
— Amtrak; Long Island Rail Road; Metra; Metro North
Railroad; Northeast Indiana Commuter Transportation District, Tri-Rail,
Trinity Railway Express, Altamont Commuter Express, Massachusetts Bay
Transportation Authority
Transit
— Operating practices and safety audits of the Buenos
Aires, Argentina subway system; safety monitoring for ultrasonic rail
testing, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
System
Safety Program Plan Development and Implementation
• MBTA Commuter Rail Service, Boston, MA
• North County Transit District “Coaster” Service,
San Diego, CA
• Altamont Commuter Express “ACE” Service, Stockton,
CA
• Trinity Railway Express Service, Dallas, TX
• Triangle Transit Authority Service, Raleigh-Durham, NC (service
still in development)
• Port of Los Angeles Waterfront Streetcar, San Pedro, CA
Emergency
Response Training and Reference Material
Sound Transit
Development of linear referencing system for training and emergency
response, combining schematic diagram of track, local streets and roads
used for access, surrounding terrain and land use with video, access
point photographs and aerial photographs of access points.
New
Start Rail Systems Planning, Implementation and Management
Tri-County Commuter Rail Authority
Development of the operational, rolling stock and fare collection elements
of the first new start commuter rail system in the United States; South
Florida’s Tri-Rail system. Service management for the first year
of revenue service was also provided.
Orange
County Transportation Commission
Development of an operating plan for a new start commuter rail service
from Orange and Riverside counties to Los Angeles. This plan served
as the blueprint for the implementation of a new commuter rail service
between Oceanside and Los Angeles, California (part of the Metrolink
System).
Central
Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority
Implementation and management of a commuter rail demonstration project
in the Seattle metropolitan area between Everett and Tacoma, WA. This
project, extending over several months, involved the operation and maintenance
of commuter trains, demonstration trains and special event trains utilizing
80 miles of existing freight trackage and leased Canadian commuter rolling
stock. Responsibilities included:
• Leasing and transport of rolling stock
• Planning and contracting for the rail lines to be used
• Integrating the new service with existing freight and intercity
passenger service
•
Developing a detailed operating plan for the service
• Setting up the maintenance plan and function
• Developing an operating manual for training on the equipment
and operating plan
• Operating crew and on-board services personnel training
• Management of daily service
• Coordination of the operation with the owner and tenant carriers
on the line:
Amtrak, Burlington Northern and Union Pacific
Trinity
Railway Express and Altamont Commuter Express (ACE)
Implementation services for two (2) “new start” commuter
rail systems, the Dallas to Fort Worth, TX, Trinity Railway Express
and the Stockton to San Jose, CA, ACE Service. TSM’s client in
both cases was Herzog, the contract operator of the service.
TSM’s responsibilities included:
• Management team selection and planning
• System Safety Program Plan (SSPP) preparation and implementation
• Locomotive engineer training and qualification
• Safety and FRA regulatory compliance audits
• Customer Service Training
Ministry
of Transport (SCT), Republic of Mexico
Development of train schedules, station plans, infrastructure capital
program and a complete set of bidding documents for a “new start”
turnkey commuter rail service in Mexico City.
Port
of Los Angeles Waterfront Streetcar
Development of safety and FRA regulatory compliance programs, including
drug and alcohol testing programs, locomotive engineer certification
programs, emergency preparedness programs and operating rule book for
streetcar operation. Also developed and had approved by FRA a waiver
of compliance with certain federal regulations (based on shared track
utilization with a freight railroad).
Washington
State Department of Transportation
Development of train schedules and infrastructure plans for new Seattle-Spokane
passenger service on moderate density freight lines (e.g., under 25
trains per day) as well as similar planning for new commuter service
on heavy density freight lines (e.g., over 40 trains per day).
System
Privatization, Restructuring, Capacity Analysis and Operational Planning
Metro (South Africa)
Productivity and performance analyses of the four major commuter rail
systems in South Africa, which collectively carry over two million daily
riders.
Burlington
Northern Railroad / Washington State Department of Transportation /
Oregon Department of Transportation / Amtrak /Central Puget Sound Regional
Transit Authority
Development of capital improvement plans, equipment and crew plans and
operating cost estimates for increased intercity passenger service,
high speed passenger service and commuter rail service on various lines
with existing freight and passenger traffic.
Amtrak
Analysis of Seattle-Portland train schedules and identification of potential
performance improvements. Ports of Tacoma, WA and Portland, OR Capacity
analysis of railroad operations, traffic projections and infrastructure
needs in the Ports of Tacoma and Portland.
Washington
State Department of Transportation
Development of integrated operating plans for shared utilization of
Burlington Northern Santa Fe line between Lakewood and Everett, WA by
commuter, regional and intercity passenger services.
Burlington
Northern Santa Fe Railway
Evaluation of the effect of changing superelevation, rail unbalance
and speed limits on passenger trains.
High
Speed Rail Feasibility Studies and Conceptual Planning
Burlington Northern Railroad / Washington State Department
of Transportation/ Amtrak
Development of a capital improvement plan to allow high-speed passenger
service between Vancouver, BC and Portland, OR on a line with existing
freight and passenger traffic.
Burlington
Northern Railroad
Development of a capital improvement plan for high speed passenger service
on an existing freight line between Dallas and Houston, TX.
Amtrak/Washington
State Department of Transportation
Development of train schedules for tilt-body Talgo trainsets between
Seattle, WA and Portland, OR.
Transportation
Planning and Information Systems
Burlington Northern Railroad / Burlington Northern Santa
Fe Railway
Numerous projects including:
• Development of computer models for analysis of service schedules,
line capacity and reliability.
• Data conversion, data integrity check, application testing and
problem analysis for a new transportation information
system.
• Development of software for computer aided train dispatching,
crew management and locomotive
distribution.
Training
Program Development
Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Research and
Development
Conduct of a study of train dispatcher training programs and determination
of performance objectives to improve the quality, uniformity, and efficiency
of railroad training/retraining programs for train dispatchers. Subsequent
development of a model training program for train dispatchers. Included
within this work was an analysis of stress factors impacting train dispatchers
and ways to remedy these factors.
Federal
Railroad Administration
Development and implementation of a drug and alcohol training program
for FRA inspectors.
Burlington
Northern Santa Fe Railway
Development and conduct of a training program for the implementation
of a new transportation information system.
Development
of Safety Standards
American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Passenger
Rail Equipment Safety Standards (PRESS) Task Force
Provision of technical assistance to the PRESS Task Force’s Systems
Sub-Group. Drafting of new safety standards for the design, construction,
inspection, and maintenance of rail passenger equipment.
Federal
Railroad Administration
Provision of technical assistance for a research project on locomotive
access/egress, including suggestions for improvements for access/egress
by railroad crew members and emergency responders.
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