Metro-North, LIRR to acquire video cameras for trains

Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road today won approval from a committee of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Board to award contracts totaling $34.6 million for the purchase of inward- and outward-facing cameras in the cabs of their rail fleets.

The outward-facing cameras will be used to record track and wayside activities, and the inward-facing cameras will be used to record the engineer’s control area while the train is in operation.

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In addition to the cab cameras, the two railroads have elected to incorporate passenger area cameras to improve passenger and crew safety by acting as a deterrent to crime and providing forensic investigative capability.

A total of 2,064 rail cars and locomotives will be outfitted under the base, 36-month contract. The contract is scheduled for consideration by the full MTA Board on Wednesday.

The National Transportation Safety Board recommended installing camera systems in February, and MTA chairman/CEO Thomas F. Prendergast immediately directed the MTA’s Commuter Railroads to begin the design, engineering, fabrication, delivery and installation of on board cameras.

“Cameras provide another measure of safety and security intended to ensure our trains operate as well as possible and reassure our customers,” Prendergast said. “They will aid investigations after accidents and other incidents, as well as deter behaviors that could affect safe train operations.”

Because of the complexity of implementing such a system, Metro-North, on behalf of the LIRR, in March requested and received board approval to use the Request for Proposal process to procure the cameras.

Based on the overall quality of the technical proposals submitted, the selection committee unanimously recommended awarding 4D Security Solutions for LIRR for $16.7 million and Sepsa North America for Metro-North for $17.9 million.