To ensure technology system benefits are realized early in the planning stages, a Master Systems Integrator (MSI) can, if scoped correctly, develop a holistic, strategic approach. Consequently, engaging an MSI early in planning and design phases has emerged as a solution to tackle the complexity of technology integration.  Collaborative Systems Integration Multiple definitions of Master…

Rising to the challenge, a market for fleet-charging services is taking shape. Fleet electrification creates opportunities for service providers who can efficiently and cost effectively install, operate, monitor and maintain charging equipment and related infrastructure. Greater understanding of these newly emerging business and financing models will ultimately lead to a faster, more widespread and cost-effective…

Microgrid Benefits Microgrids are independent, self-sustaining, decentralized energy systems that power distinct buildings, campuses or geographic areas. The concept has been around for decades. However, a number of factors has coalesced in recent years to make microgrids and the distributed power sources that feed them less expensive, more efficient and more reliable. The quickly evolving…

Widespread implementation of Positive Train Control (PTC) has initiated this trend. In PTC-controlled territory, where PTC automates signal speed, enforcement of track speed, and safe train separation, the wayside signal system is beginning to move the wayside signals into the cab of the locomotive, along with other relevant data that assists the locomotive engineer in…

Fleet Electrification Airports have a long history of converting ground service equipment (GSE) to run on electricity. American Airlines was the first to undertake a major electric GSE (eGSE) conversion. In 2001, the airline replaced their complete fleet of fossil fuel powered GSE at El Paso International Airport. Major airlines have since followed suit, transitioning…

Outdated helipad equipment and overdue maintenance may expose healthcare facilities to unnecessary risks. Upgrades to meet the latest federal design guidelines can improve safety, facilitate on-going maintenance and improve the resiliency of air ambulance operations in the event of a major disaster. Source: SOAR Campaign Growing Reliance on Aging Helipad Facilities Air medical services are…

Successfully electrifying our nation’s bus fleets requires a renewed appreciation for the often-overlooked bus maintenance depot. The Role of Maintenance Depots To keep electrified fleets charged and well-maintained, bus depots will carry an outsized operational role. Bus depots include facilities and equipment for vehicle fueling, tire changes, washing, cleaning and fare collection, as well as…

The Swing Suite is a relatively inexpensive strategy of repurposing existing spaces. The concept may be appealing to healthcare providers given that it does not require relicensing of beds or adding more square footage. Implementation can be quickly instituted when a renovation or expansion of existing infrastructure is already underway. Cost-Effective Approach to Expand Capacity…

Widespread use of PTC systems is likely to prevent collisions and save lives. PTC systems reliably and functionally prevent train-to-train collisions, overspeed derailments, incursion into established work zones, and movement through a mainline switch in the improper position, among other functions. To mark this accomplishment, I reflected on the evolution of some of the technology…

“Ventilation and filtration provided by heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems can reduce the airborne concentration of SARS-CoV-2 and thus the risk of transmission through the air,” ASHRAE said in an April 20 statement. Ventilation—the introduction of fresh outside air into a space such as an airport—can reduce contaminants by exhausting some of the existing…

CBTC replaces legacy signaling systems that have been used in some locations since the 1930s, or earlier. These manually operated “fixed-block” systems employ electric track circuits, spaced at specific, 1,000-foot intervals or “blocks,” to help determine a train’s location. Ideally, the circuits and signals keep one train from entering a block that another is occupying.…