Our team serves as a specialty consultant for the replacement of MARTA’s existing Train Control and SCADA Systems that monitor and control Atlanta’s extensive heavy rail and associated traction power network. In this capacity, our team was responsible for the specification, design, and testing of the Train Control and SCADA central office equipment and its interfaces to field equipment and other MARTA operational support systems.
Our role in the TCSU project began with a comprehensive Business Process Review (BPR) of the most critical rail control center processes. We examined and diagrammed MARTA’s current processes and recommended improvements based on:
(1) new control center staff and responsibilities
(2) the application of modern technology
(3) best industry practices
Process improvement revisions were diagramed and extensively reviewed with MARTA management to arrive at a final design for the processes. Our team conducted “project vision” discussions with MARTA’s senior management to understand what the head of each MARTA department was expecting to see in the new TCSS system.
The BPR, interviews, and visioning meetings guided the development of a comprehensive Requirements Matrix that listed every system requirement together with its priority, cost, and availability within industry offerings. The Requirements Matrix in turn provided a solid basis for our team's development of the conceptual design and ensuing technical specification which set forth detailed contract provisions for the central office part of the new system procurement. We then participated in an extensive proposal evaluation effort for the selection of the Train Control and SCADA Office Systems Contractor.
Currently, we are the subject matter expert for MARTA overseeing the Contractor’s final design, implementation, factory testing, field testing, and training for the Train Control and SCADA office systems. During this project implementation phase, we also participate in Change Management activities, provides support for the TCSU Project Management Team, and are currently reviewing and recommending changes to MARTA’s Standard Operating Procedures as necessary to reflect the new technologies introduced by the TCSU project.
