Wabtec secured agreements worth $120 million to implement signaling and train control systems for Virgin Trains USA. The project is a unique high-speed signaling and train control application for the North America market.

Under various contracts, the PTC implementation will be executed in two phases: In the first phase, Wabtec will install its Interoperable Electronic Train Management System (I-ETMS®) PTC safety overlay on Virgin Trains USA’s 67-mile rail corridor between Miami and West Palm Beach, Fla., including a back-office system and fitment of both freight and commuter locomotives. Phase two entails the installation of I-ETMS along the West Palm Beach to Orlando rail corridor. Wabtec will conduct the complete design, material integration, construction, system integration, project management, and train control implementation and deploy a wireless crossing activation system for high-speed trains.

In total, Wabtec will equip 90 freight and commuter locomotives with its I-ETMS train control technology. Separately, Wabtec will deliver signal design and implementation services for the phase two portion of the project.

As an on-board geographic database and global positioning system, I-ETMS provides an additional safety overlay by continuously calculating warning and braking curves based on all relevant train and track information including speed, location, movement authority, speed restrictions, work zones, and consist restrictions. Intended to help prevent track authority violations, speed limit violations, and unauthorized entry into work zones, I-ETMS provides significant enhancements to rail safety.