Metra currently plans to install nine cameras per railcar. The camera network will be like the system used on CTA trains and buses.
Metra
1 min to read
Metra currently plans to install nine cameras per railcar. The camera network will be like the system used on CTA trains and buses.
Metra
Metra's board approved a $15.5 million contract to purchase and install cameras inside the commuter railroad’s passenger cars.
The contract was awarded to Railhead Corporation of Burr Ridge, Ill., and includes the design, implementation, and installation of a surveillance camera system capable of capturing video of all passenger seating areas and vestibules on a minimum of 400 railcars and a maximum of 700 railcars.
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Railhead was chosen for the project through a competitive bidding process.
“This project is not a response to any specific incident but is just another way we can use technology to augment onboard security,” said Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski. “We’re always looking for ways to improve safety and security for our customers and employees.”
Metra currently plans to install nine cameras per railcar. The camera network will be like the system used on CTA trains and buses. The cameras will be connected to onboard DVR systems that will record and store the video. If there were an incident onboard a Metra train, the video could then be retrieved.
The Plan is CTA's formal response to an FTA Special Directive issued in December and details how the agency will significantly expand the law enforcement surge it launched.
On a recent episode of METROspectives, METRO Magazine’s Executive Editor Alex Roman sat down with Ana-Maria Tomlinson, Director of Strategic & Cross-Sector Programs at the CSA Group, to explore a bold initiative aimed at addressing those challenges: the development of a National Code for Transit and Passenger Rail Systems in Canada.
During a safety blitz, Metra employees will visit one of the railroad’s 243 stations during the morning rush hour, distributing educational materials on train and grade-crossing safety, answering questions, and listening to riders’ safety concerns.
Operated in partnership with Tech Valley Security, trained CDTA Ambassadors will be on select routes and will rotate throughout CDTA’s route network. Their presence is intended to provide customers with an approachable, visible resource focused on assistance and engagement.
Customers have always been able to report concerns through the CATS Customer Service line or the “Report a Problem to CATS” feature in the CATS-Pass mobile app; however, CATS has also integrated a Text-a-Tip line, giving riders multiple, easy-to-use channels to get support.