News & Events
They've Been Working on the Railroad
From left, City Tech computer engineering technology students George Ramos and Fernando Gimenez
It may be some time before the nation's railroads fully trust commonly available computer systems to operate a "vital" circuit -- one that actually controls bridges, switches or signal lights. At present, computers are only used for "non-vital" functions such as dispatching and routing. Hoping to contribute to the progress being made on this technological front, two City Tech computer engineering technology students --Fernando Gimenez and George Ramos -- recently constructed a true-to-life prototype model of a computer-controlled railroad bridge. Gimenez is employed as an engineer in Metro-North Railroad's communications and signal department.
The two presented their work to a meeting of a group of signal designers from railroads and transit agencies throughout the Northeast. The college is hopeful that this example of a practical, real-world-oriented approach to computer-based control of vital functions will lead to closer ties with the rail transit industry, including having their employees take courses here, hiring more City Tech graduates and offering more student internships.
A number of companies are currently trying to market computer-based "vital function" control systems, but they use specialized hardware that can usually only be reprogrammed by the computer supplier. If Gimenez and Ramos succeed in developing their approach into technology railroads can trust, then the entire design and programming function can be done by the railroad's own people.
Photo courtesy Computer Engineering Technology
