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The Housatonic Railroad Co. Inc. and partner Theta Systems Inc. recently introduced the Short Line Dispatching System (SLDS). The 161-mile Housatonic currently is marketing the system to other short lines.

The railroad and software provider Theta Systems spent more than a year developing the system, which Housatonic uses to dispatch trains. SLDS is available to railroads using General Code of Operating Rules (GCOR) or Northeast Operating Rules Advisory Committee (NORAC) operating rules.

“Other systems out there were either far too expensive, designed for larger railroads or lacked features to serve our needs,” said Housatonic General Manager Robert Bass in a prepared statement. “With SLDS, railroads utilizing multiple shift dispatchers are able to dispatch their lines using either single or multiple monitors.”

The Housatonic — which serves Connecticut and Massachusetts — also offers multiple SLDS displays for short lines that dispatch several railroads’ trains from one central location.

Editor's Note: The Housatonic Railroad serves Connecticut and Massachusetts, but not eastern New York as previously reported.