PATH
World Trade Center Service Restoration

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PATH) called upon RAILSIM when they needed a software tool that could optimize capacity of a reconstructed PATH service to the World Trade Center site in record time.  This work included Tunnels E&F, which are the transit backbone connecting New Jersey to Lower Manhattan.  The systems in these tunnels were damaged beyond reasonable repair from the flooding that resulted from the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center attack and extended to the Exchange Place Station in Jersey City, NJ.

RAILSIM helped to develop the signal control line designs for the tunnels and the reconstructed World Trade Center Station, including the timer-based Grade Time and Station Time signaling used throughout the PATH network.  As the safety of the new signaling system was verified, RAILSIM determined the optimal signal locations to ensure maximum line and terminal capacity.

RAILSIM Network Simulator verified the feasibility of the temporary Exchange Place Station operation when the Port Authority decided to open Exchange Place Station before the temporary station at the World Trade Center site.  Using a newly-installed subterranean crossover and revised interlocking configuration, RAILSIM tested the reliability of operating services to both Hoboken and Journal Square prior to the actual June 2003 inauguration of temporary turnback service. 

Exchange Place Station reopened in June 2003, and PATH reported that its ridership had doubled by June 2004, with daily ridership exceeding projections by about 1,400 riders.

Full service to the World Trade Center, using the new Tunnels E&F train control system, was restored five months later in November 2003.  One year later, PATH reported that ridership on the restored World Trade Center service was exceeding all projections;  while 26,100 daily riders were projected for October 2004 the actual average daily ridership was 38,965.

The American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association (AREMA) presented the 2004 Dr. W. W. Hay Award for Excellence to PATH in recognition of its "Restoration of PATH Commuter Rail Service to Lower Manhattan, NYC and Exchange Place, Jersey City.”