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Communication Needs for a 21st Century Railroad

May 17, 2007

IEEE Communications SocietyCQR International Workshop 2007

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BNSF Fast Facts

Infrastructure 32,000 miles of track 6,300 locomotives 220,000 freight cars on system 40,000 employees

Shipments Intermodal train = 250 trucks 5.4 million intermodal shipments annually

International – 3.2 million Domestic – 2.2 million

50 million packages for UPS – Christmas 10% of the vehicles sold in the U.S. Coal to power 1 out of every 10 homes in U.S. Grain to supply bread to 900 million people for

a year Lumber to build 500,000 homes Lube oil to fill 1.6 billion quarts of motor oil Largest transporter by rail in U.S. for:

Aircraft Parts Beer & wine

BNSF Rail Network

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Customers We Serve

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Communication Needs and Challenges

Meet customers’ expectations Full supply chain visibility / shipment management from cradle to grave To and from customers to manage the complete transaction cycle Demand, shipment instructions, origins, destinations, service levels

Among systems, management personnel, and business partners To manage our assets Crews, Power, Railcars, Trains, Network Across our network, real time Channels include EDI, web applications, wireless, handhelds, RFID, GPS

Past

Timely communication of quality information drives technology initiatives

Transaction Exchanges

Asset Tracking & Control

Automated Data Capture

Present Future

Optimization

Partner CollaborationAdvance Planning

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Transportation Process

Carload

Intermodal

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Communication Channels

Shipment Initiation Customer orders car

Web apps Assign empty car to customer

Equipment Distribution Spot empty car to customer

Crew instructed Work Order generation (TSS)

Shipping instructions EDI, Web apps

Aggregation Customer loads & releases car

EDI, Switch & Release Pull loaded car from customer

Crew instructed Work Order generation (TSS)

Trip plan for car generated Locomotive assigned Service Scheduling

Transportation Locomotive transports assigned cars AEI – car tags & rail network readers Locomotives equipped with GPS Car & train events recorded in TSS Crew reporting via Voice Recognition Cars equipped with health sensors Customer tracks shipments

EDI, MyReports, email alerts

Distribution Car arrives at destination Spot loaded car to customer

Crew instructed Work Order generation (TSS)

Customer unloads & releases car EDI, Switch & Release

Carload

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Carload

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Communication Channels

Transportation Locomotive transports assigned cars AEI – car tags & rail network readers Locomotives equipped with GPS Car & train events recorded in TSS Cars equipped with health sensors Customer tracks shipments

EDI, MyReports, email alerts

Distribution Car arrives at destination Container/trailer deramped from car

Crane (VMU) - OASIS Container/trailer parked

Hostler (VMU) – OASIS Notify customer

Fax, email, EDI, we-based tools Trucker picks up container/trailer Hub Outgate – Unit checked out

Wireless handheld devices Driver self check-out (kiosk) Automated Gate Systems Evaluating RFID & eSeals

Intermodal

Shipment Initiation Shipping Instructions

EDI, Web apps Trucker delivers container/trailer Hub Ingate – Unit checked in

Wireless handheld devices Driver self check-in (Kiosk) Automated Gate System

• OCR Cameras• Biometrics – Driver ID

Evaluating RFID & eSeals

Aggregation Hub Inventory

Container / Trailer parked OASIS – Radio Frequency

Container / Trailer moved to railcar Hostler (VMU) – OASIS

Container/ Trailer ramped to railcar Crane (VMU) - OASIS

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Intermodal

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Intermodal – Automated Gate System

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Intermodal – Optical Character Recognition

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Communication Recap

Past Present Future

Paper & Phone

Fax and IVR

EDI

Email

Web Tools

Scanners

Sensors

Voice Recognition

GPS / ETMS

RFID / eSeals

OCR / Biometrics

Transaction Exchanges Automated Data Capture Asset Tracking & Control

Train Service Design

Intermodal Hub Moves

Equipment Distribution

Optimization Partner Collaboration Web based forecasting and

execution

Advance Planning Alert Subscriptions

XML and Web Services

Surveys

Communication technologies support old and new railroad partners

Velocity driving new levels of coordination, communication, and technology

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ETMS – the Future is Now

Digital wireless communication technology Transmit train movement information Locomotives and BNSF’s Network Operations Center

Integrates and interlocks train information Data from GPS Create a Safety Overlay for train operations

Takes in movement related information Authority limits, speed limits, and work zones through both a wi-fi and RF Displays geographically in the locomotive cab

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ETMS Process

Before train leaves terminal: Data transmitted over digital wireless network from NOC to locomotive cab

• Train consist, movement & speed authorities, track database, work zones

As train departs terminal: Locomotive uses GPS in combination w/ geographic track database

• Determines location on the track

Computer integrates downloaded data w/ locomotive position on track to ensure adherence

ETMS pings wayside devices along track• Low band wireless communication network• Checking for broken rails, proper switch alignment, and signal aspect information

As train moves: Computer constantly calculates a warning and breaking curve

• Based on train consist, speed, change in elevation, and upcoming limits Warning curve provides a margin of safety

• Warn crews to slow or stop train