Operations Analysis and Simulation efforts are essential tools in the effective design of any project. Design and design-support expertise at SYSTRA is done using our RAILSIM® Software, which facilitates train control system design (through headway and safe braking distance computations, and automated control line generation) and DC and AC traction power system design (through the Load Flow Analyzer electrical network simulator). Full network simulation, with RAILSIM Network Simulator, supports consideration of any infrastructure, train control system, or operating plan design effort through comprehensive and iterative analysis, including measurements of on time performance, terminal capacity, and operating delay of each alternative under consideration.
Representative Projects:
ConnDOT Waterbury and New Canaan Branch Lines Needs and Feasibility Study
Phase I and Phase II
Connecticut
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) in cooperation with the South West Regional Planning Agency (SWRPA), Greater Bridgeport Regional Planning Agency (GBRPA), Council of Governments of the Central Naugatuck Valley (CGCNV), and the Valley Council of Governments (VCOG), prepared a needs and feasibility study for improvements to transit service along the New Canaan and Waterbury Branch Line corridors of the New Haven Line. The study evaluated various improvement options along the existing ConnDOT-owned 27.06-mile passenger railroad corridor between Milford and Waterbury and the 9.90-mile passenger railroad corridor between Stamford and New Canaan.
The study results provided decision makers with necessary information to determine how the needs of the New Canaan Branch and Waterbury Line corridors fit into an overall statewide transportation strategy that balanced needs and funding ability.
SYSTRA was contracted to perform RAILSIM electrical and train performance analyses of current conditions and the various years 2015 and 2030 alternatives under consideration for the project. SYSTRA's efforts included full calibration of the current conditions rail network simulations, and quantification of the alternatives analyses to provide the following information for each alternative. The alternatives were unimpeded rail trip times with appropriate schedule margin for each of the operations scenarios, travel times, headways and resultant throughputs, measures of congestion and signal delay, and on-time performance.
For the electrical analyses, SYSTRA applied its RAILSIM AC Load Flow Analyzer to assess the location, number, and capacity of substations required to support the desired train operations on the Waterbury and New Canaan Branch Lines of the new Haven Line operated by Metro-North Railroad.
Operations Analysis
Operations Simulation
Traction Power Analysis