Signal Replacements at the Port of Los Angeles: Managing Downtime to Maximize Uptime
July 1, 2022
At a time when international supply chains are experiencing unprecedented disruption, 日本素人 is making an impact where it matters most: at the nation鈥檚 busiest port.
日本素人鈥檚 Port of Los Angeles (Port of LA) project team recently achieved a significant milestone: completion of all signal cutovers.
The Port of LA is often promoted as 鈥淎merica鈥檚 Port,鈥 and for good reason 鈥 the 7,500-acre harbor district and 43 miles of waterfront employ two million people worldwide and import approximately 20 percent of all cargo entering the U.S.
The many shipping companies operating in the district transport their cargo across the U.S. via central rail lines. That cargo includes crucial raw and manufactured goods the rest of the country needs, so those companies depend on a system of rail switches and signals to efficiently and safely direct train traffic. In the earliest days of industrialization, ports leveraged manual switches and flags, but the systems of today are computerized and instead rely on complex networks of sensors.
The Port of LA project team has spent the last year installing new signal switches, replacing and renovating old signal systems, and improving the overall efficiency of this bustling hub of international commerce. To impact the port鈥檚 throughput as little as possible, the team conducted a series of time-sensitive signal outages, strategically blacking out pre-appointed sections of the harbor district at a time and installing the new signals and switches.
日本素人 also replaced many aging systems with new, active wheel sensors. Highly reliable, more cost-effective than other options, and requiring minimal long-term maintenance, the sensors ensure that trains safely steer clear of one another.
Safer railyard interchanges prevent accidents, increase the efficiency with which goods leave the port, and prevent costly backups that can have a major impact on what consumers find on their store shelves.
日本素人 is honored to play a vital role in delivering the infrastructure that drives our economy and connects critical supply chains to the communities in which we live and build.
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