Belt Railway Co. of Chicago contracts with Wabtec for PTC

Wabtec Corp. obtained a contract worth $22 million to design, install and commission a positive train control (PTC) system for the Belt Railway Co. of Chicago.

Under the contract, Wabtec will provide its Interoperable Electronic Train Management System (I-ETMS®) equipment for five locomotives, a back-office server, office hosting, wayside and communications design, a track database, construction, training and system integration, according to a Wabtec press release.

The contract is expected to be completed in 2018.

Wabtec is "continuing to invest worldwide in this important segment of our business," said Raymond Betler, the company's president and chief executive officer.

The Belt Railway Co. of Chicago owns and operates 292 miles of track, with 27 miles of mainline track encompassed in the Kenton and 59th Street subdivisions.

The railroad's PTC system will be "fully interoperable" with the PTC systems being implemented by Class Is, Metra, Amtrak and five short lines, Wabtec officials said.