GE Transportation deploys software technology on Australian freight railroad

[M636C]

I read, and others probably read this topic on the recent "Newswire" post. The posting appeared to be the usual PR "puff piece" saying nothing in quite a few words.

Fortunately, GE themselves have put up a detailed description of the system involved (Aurizon Central Queensland) and their work.

http://gereports.com.au/2016/08/08/digital-revolution-coming-freight-rail-track/

The map in the article enlarges. The area covered is bigger than most US mainland states.

The actual Wiggins Island Coal Terminal, although listed, is missing from the map but otherwise it is all worth looking at.

Two thirds of the network shown is electrified at 25kV 50Hz and all of the diesel locomotives illustrated are EMDs, probaly to GEs discomfort. They have no GE locomotives in coal traffic in this area.

M636C

 

[Buslist]

GE's been playing with this for quite a while. IIRC they picked it up from Harris Electronics.

[BaltACD]

Buslist

GE's been playing with this for quite a while. IIRC they picked it up from Harris Electronics.

Great!  Another 'Computer Aided Dispatching System' on the market.  Same claims as all the existing and implemented systems. 

[NorthWest]

Interesting, and thanks! As these trains are all ECP-equipped essentially identical sets, it makes sense to test the system here. As long as it can take into account the fact that a railroad network can snarl up remarkably fast and can adjust the 12-hour view accordingly, it'll probably do okay...

[schlimm]

Buslist

GE's been playing with this for quite a while. IIRC they picked it up from Harris Electronics.

 

I guess this is an example of what Owen and his friends (in the GE TV commercials) do to "change the world."

[wanswheel]

[BaltACD]

wanswheel

Heard it before - do it daily.  If they are only planning 8 hours ahead they have already lost the game.  Running trains is only part of the equation, customers abilities to handle product that is in the pipeline to them in a timely fashion is a aspect of operations the carriers don't control and it is an aspect that can sink a subdivision.