Chicago Transit Authority

Summary

CHICAGO, IL – Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) required a way to automatically identify trains and gather real-time information during travel. To solve this challenge, CTA turned to TagMaster North America, the world leader in RFID (Radio Frequency Identification).

Challenge

Trains needed to be automatically identified at speed, and transponders (Tags) had to be able to update the onboard system with information such as train ID, route, destination ID, and driver ID. The maintenance of the system’s reliability and security were critical considerations.

Solution

TagMaster North America, in partnership with Ansaldo STS, deployed HD Track Readers as part of a larger signaling upgrade project for CTA. These readers were integrated directly with the Ansaldo signaling system, which enabled the automatic routing of trains according to route number. The new 5000 Series Metro Cars were outfitted with TagMaster S1470 CableTags. Tags were installed directly on the underside of the car and then integrated with each train’s onboard system, which then updated the dynamic route number stored in the CableTag.

Conclusion

The CableTags used in this application are physically connected to the external system, which provides the power and serial interfaces. This platform allows each CableTag’s programmable memory to be dynamically updated by the external system, making real-time transfer of track-to-train or train-to-track possible.