Research and Innovative Technology Administration Innovation for a Nation on the Move U.S. Department of Transportation Research and Innovative Technology Administration Fall 2008 contents Fall 2008 on the frontier 3 Iraq Railroad Reconstruction: A Success Story across the department 5 RITA Supports U.S. Priorities with China BTS Examines U.S./China Freight Trade HORIZONS is a publication of the U.S. Department of 5 Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration. Improving Operational Safety—Confi dential 6 Cover photo courtesy of Agata Urbaniak Close Call Reporting ITS happenings 7 Innovation Roundtable Explores Advanced Wireless Communication to Meet the Nation’s Congestion Reduction and Safety Goals 7 Safetrip-21 Update university news 8 Conferences Put the Spotlight on University Transportation Centers 8 Utah Transit a True "FrontRunner" with WiFi Aboard 9 TTI Website a Unique Resource on Transportation Funding Options p. Center Volpe guest column 3 13 The New DNA of the Automobile by Larry Burns, Transmission tower at Hilla, Vice President, Research & Development and Karbala province in Iraq. Strategic Planning General Motors Corporation in every issue new tools & training 14 New TSI Motorcycle Safety Course Helps 9 Your National State-Level Planners Transportation Library 10 RITA Happenings statistical news 12 Technology Transfer 15 From the Bureau of Transportation 17 Check it out at Statistics www.RITA.dot.gov! on the frontier Iraq Railroad Reconstruction: A Success Story Every day, American men and women are working closely with Iraqis to build stability and peace; to construct roads, rails, and airports; and to forge ties of friendship, understanding, and respect that will last lifetimes.1 – Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters he Research and Innovative Technology Administration’s T(RITA’s) Volpe National Transportation Systems Center is proud to be part of a major endeav- or for the Iraqi Republic Railways (IRR) that is regarded as a notewor- thy achievement among Iraq Recon- struction efforts focused on trans- portation. A large-scale upgrade to the Iraqi railway-communications system spearheaded by the Volpe Center is nearing completion, an effort that Transportation Secre- tary Mary Peters has already hailed as having “helped get passenger train service back up and running between Baghdad and Basra.”1 A Center Volpe new, centrally controlled and highly At work on the Iraqi Republic Railways secure communications capability is at the heart of the system economy, provide employment, and base stations, transmission tow- By 2003, Iraqi railways had been improve the quality of life of Iraqi ers, telecommunications equip- torn apart by decades of neglect citizens, it was easy to identify a ment shelters, and auxiliary power and recent sectarian violence. With fully functioning railway system as systems. The DMRCN will serve bridges and signaling in disarray an important component of an Iraqi as the railway's backbone commu- and no reliable means of commu- recovery. nications link for both voice and nication among trains or between data transmission and will be an Providing a system to dispatch, trains and stations, instructions for essential component of the CBTC control, and track trains was a top train movements were often deliv- for IRR. ered by taxi. This situation contrib- priority; it had become clear that uted to several head-on collisions conventional signaling was not a The Volpe Center identifi ed require- and severely limited the number of realistic option, and a decision was ments for the microwave communi- trains that could operate with any made to pursue installation of a cations system, developed a detailed degree of safety. Resumption of state-of-the-art Communications- statement of work that included normal railway service is regarded Based Train Control (CBTC) engineering specifi cations for the as an economic necessity in Iraq, system. The system requires use DMRCN system, managed contract supporting international commerce. of a digital microwave radio com- awards and the procurement of With its potential to transport mas- munications network (DMRCN) equipment, and oversaw microwave sive amounts of cargo, stimulate the consisting of microwave radio communications system installa- 1 From “Air Traffi c and Transportation Progress in Iraq” in Welcome to the Fast Lane: The Offi cial Blog of the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, May 29, 2008. Horizons, Fall 2008 3 tion. The initial network consists equipment and its understanding of strategy. The team has met with the of 33 sites, running from the Syrian new communications technologies USDOT Attaché and with repre- border through Baghdad to the port and their application to transporta- sentatives from the Iraq Transition facility at Umm Qasr. Umm Qasr is tion systems. Because Volpe Cen- Assistance Offi ce, IRR, and the Iraq Iraq's primary port and is also the ter staff had previously faced the Ministry of Transportation, along key rail-transport link for imports challenges of working in Iraq, they with the contractors, to identify and exports, making it vital for brought an ability to adapt their and resolve issues related to project freight movements. The DMRCN methods to meet the needs of an acceptance and hand over, future project, which is funded at $41 ever-changing environment. Along operations and maintenance of the million, is the largest fi xed-price the way, they have established good system, and the development of procurement in the Volpe Center’s working relationships with U.S Em- operating rules. The Volpe Center history. The project combines the bassy personnel and Iraqi railroad also may be involved in the initial latest CBTC-system technology managers and have worked effec- transitional training and system op- with reliable microwave radio tively with the major U.S. contrac- erations and maintenance process. technology over 1,000 kilometers tor as well as with subcontractors Once the system is up and running, of track. The interoperability of the from Turkey, Jordan, and Iraq. many more trains will become op- two technologies was verifi ed as erational. part of the contract. This project is part of a larger effort When completed, the IRR will to expand economic opportunity host the longest CBTC/microwave- in Iraq with the goal of helping to based control system in the world, offset the frustration and lack of providing computer-aided dis- hope that many Iraqis feel about patching of trains from the Central their future. Despite unusual cir- Control Offi ce in Baghdad. Autho- cumstances and many challenges, rization for trains to occupy tracks implementation of this project between stations will be conveyed has been extremely successful due automatically and displayed on a largely to the Volpe Center’s careful screen in the cab of the locomo- Center Volpe planning, anticipation of problems, tive. A global positioning system and close work with contractors, (GPS) tracking device on each Iraqi team inspects telecommunications U.S. offi cials, and Iraqi personnel. locomotive will provide location equipment shelter at the Bagdad site The work has been performed in information to the train dispatcher. support of the USDOT Attaché Of- By midsummer of 2008, 27 of the Training fi ce and U.S. Department of State's 33 microwave towers had been Iraq Transition Assistance Offi ce, constructed, and 20 communication In anticipation of completing which is funded by the Iraq Relief shelters were being installed and the the project, the Volpe Center has and Reconstruction Fund (IRRF). microwave alignment verifi ed. The provided oversight to a CBTC project is scheduled for completion training course for Iraqi personnel, Key Personnel in the fall of 2008, at which time which includes both dispatcher and James Lamond of the Rail and IRR will be able to communicate computer instruction on the system. Transit Systems Division leads the between the Baghdad dispatching The Volpe Center is supporting the Volpe Center effort and is actively offi ce and all locomotives and sta- Iraq Transition Assistance Offi ce by involved in project reviews and tions along the north-south right- monitoring the training to ensure a troubleshooting as needed. Other of-way. cohesive approach in integrating the key Volpe Center participants are train-control system with the com- Successful accomplishment of all Fred Mottley of the Rail and Tran- munications system. stages of this large scale, highly sit Systems Division and Orin Cook visible undertaking has drawn on Next Steps and Dan Leone of the Acquisition the Volpe Center's unique combi- Division. nation of project management and With the implementation phase acquisition expertise, along with its nearing completion, the Volpe Cen- decades of experience with railroad ter team is developing a hand-over 4 Horizons, Fall 2008.