As the prime contractor and systems engineer for the SFMTA’s C3 program, B&C Transit Inc., in a joint venture effort with HNTB, provided program-wide integration and systems control methodology for the design and construction of the new Transportation Management Center (TMC).
The TMC replaces the San Francisco Municipal Railroad’s (MUNI’s) outdated Operations Control Center (OCC) as its primary control center and combines all of SFMTA’s control functions, which were dispersed across the city, with a new state-of-the-art facility. A key design requirement included the ongoing use and functionality of the existing OCC, which was maintained as a backup and redundant facility to the TMC.
The TMC also incorporated the new Central Subway Project, which includes a 1.7 mile extension of the subway system from AT&T ballpark into the Financial District and Chinatown, currently one of the heaviest traveled bus passenger routes in the city. Because B&C Transit Inc. was also part of the design team responsible for preparing the contract construction documents for the various communication systems for the Central Subway project our team was intimately familiar with the needs and requirements for its integration into the new TMC facility.
An integral part of the preliminary engineering work for the TMC included an Implementation Plan, which B&C Transit Inc. prepared to include migration, phasing, and cutover plans that emphasized minimal disruption to current transit revenue operations. B&C Transit Inc. also oversaw the review of the business processes that further optimized the organizational functions at the TMC. The preliminary engineering phase also incorporated architectural, ergonomic, and industrial designs.
The TMC facility is based around a new state-of-the-art integrated audio/visual system that allows workstations and video wall screens to be configurable for various functions. The TMC includes a secure area that has controlled access and a firewall separating functions in order to maintain security and ease of operations. Interoperability initiatives, including Information Technology Systems standards were also incorporated.
The new Central Subway extension and the TMC incorporate an Advanced Train Control System (ATCS) that is compatible with the existing Thales ATCS. The ATCS includes a new System Management Center that incorporates open architecture and IP-based interfaces with other systems.