Saving costs on NICTD South Shore Line upgrade
Setting a new industry standard and cutting costs by millions.
Background
In 1977, the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) was created with the goal of maintaining and improving the South Shore passenger rail service, which operates between downtown Chicago and South Bend Airport. The organization took significant steps to revitalize the service, including purchasing the passenger operations and assets in 1990. This initiative led to the establishment of two entities: the South Shore passenger service, owned by NICTD, and the South Shore freight service.
Project Goals
NICTD’s vision for the South Shore Line included:
Increasing service frequency with more express and off-peak services.
Reducing travel times from various points, including a target of 90 minutes from South Bend.
Improving reliability from 89% to 95% on-time performance.
Doubling the 2019 ridership levels, capitalizing on Chicago’s congested highway system.
Procurement Process and Challenges
A comprehensive procurement process was undertaken for major multi-million-dollar infrastructure upgrades. However, the proposals received from leading contractors significantly exceeded initial project estimates. The selection committee identified FH Paschen/Ragnar Benson as the best value proposer but faced a substantial budget shortfall.
Value Engineering and Cost-Saving Measures
NICTD embarked on a rigorous value engineering process to reduce costs.
Substantial savings were identified by:
making the maintenance facility optional.
making the carwash optional.
providing joint venture office space, and
integrating the Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system and Back Office Server (BOS)
Partnership with Tracsis Rail Technology Solutions
In a pivotal move, NICTD engaged Tracsis, a leading provider of rail software solutions, to redefine the parameters of the Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) and PTC BOS project. Under a 10-year agreement, Tracsis became the preferred delivery partner, offering a comprehensive and cost-effective CAD and BOS solution.
What Tracsis Did
Tracsis’ involvement began in the summer of 2020, focusing on developing and integrating a new, highly advanced CAD system with a Back Office Server (BOS).
This partnership provides:
A future-proofed mainline CAD solution tailored to South Shore Line’s requirements
More than $5 million in cost savings through the CAD/BOS integration
10 years of highly responsive, industry-leading service and maintenance support
Project Success and Future Prospects
The partnership between Tracsis and NICTD resulted in a cutting-edge CAD and BOS system deployment, setting a new standard in the rail industry. This project exemplified how strategic collaboration and innovative solutions can address budget challenges and enhance service delivery.
NICTD and Tracsis will continue to work together on further updates as part of the West Lake Corridor project, ensuring that the South Shore Line remains a vital and efficient transportation service for the region.
Conclusion
Tracsis has proven to be a valuable partner for NICTD, delivering a state-of-the-art CAD and BOS system under significant budget constraints. Our collaboration highlights the importance of adaptability, technical expertise, and strong partnerships in the successful execution of large-scale rail infrastructure projects.
Tracsis is the leading provider of software-based rail automation solutions.
Find out more about our innovative rail technology.
Image credit: Han Zheng - https://www.flickr.com/photos/zhenghan1994/51417678411/
