Brighton Park Crossing - Factory Mock-up

Factory Mock-up

In the Safetran Systems California manufacturing facility, a full-scale mock-up of the Brighton Park / Pershing Main project was assembled (lacking only the crossing gate arms and locomotives. Moving locomotives were simulated using Safetran GEO Test Terminal devices, and physical crossing gate arms, bells, and lights were simulated using panels with lamps.)

The modernization effort at Brighton Park took place in parallel with the mock-up effort in California, allowing application development and extensive testing to take place on the mock-up prior to the application being cut-over in Chicago. Most installation issues which developed during cross-over could be replicated and solved in California, with the only real exception being radio communications coverage between devices along the rail line.

The automation hardware and software was launched and monitored for a trial period of time during which the existing physical semaphoring system was still in use until confidence in the automation effort was achieved after which the wonderful (but obsolete) signaling system was finally discontinued.

Once the initial site installation difficulties were isolated and resolved, the new crossing system settled down and has been conveying indications and controls without difficulties (as of the close of the year 2011.)