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Canadian National Railway Co. and Siemens Transportation Systems Inc. June 19 announced plans to jointly develop and implement a rail traffic-control (RTC) system incorporating Siemens' VICOS™ and SINAUT Spectrum™ computer operating systems.


The fully integrated system, which would be directly linked to CN's Service Reliability Strategy (SRS) computer system, would include hardware displays and monitors, and simplified operating procedures designed to improve train dispatchers' working environment and provide CN greater scheduling reliability to control more than 300 trains, said CN Chief Transportation Officer Ed Harris in a prepared statement.


CN plans to install the system on 46 workstations in Montreal, Toronto and Edmonton, Alberta, traffic-control centers.


The system would be designed with built-in contingency capabilities that would enable CN to immediately resume network dispatching at alternate sites if problems occured.


CN and Siemens each plan to assign systems design and rail-operation specialists to the project, and expect system development by early 2004 and implementation by late 2005.