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All radio equipment purchased for the Twin Cities commuter rail service will <br />comply with Federal Communications Commission regulations, and may be <br />affected by the availability of radio frequencies in the Metro area, <br />Central Control Facilities (COFs) provided for commuter and freight rail service <br />should be equipped to actively and simultaneously monitor dedicated and <br />common frequencies at all times. This facility may initially handle only message <br />generation and announcement broadcast duties, but should be designed for <br />eventual expansion into a facility engaged in train dispatching, and <br />Commuter rail passenger stations should be designed to accommodate the <br />provision of interactive/real-time information displays tied-in to the Orion program. <br /> <br />A significant development since the conclusion of the Twin Cities Commuter Rail <br />Feasibility Study has been the development and adoption of regional control centers by <br />BNSF, UP and other major carriers. These centers have been implemented in Texas and <br />California, and more are planned. They enhance intercarrier coordination, as well as <br />facilitating a more immediate reaction to local conditions and are an outgrowth of the <br />problems some rail carriers have experienced in the process of consolidating operatir'-- <br />in key areas. No such center is yet envisioned for the Twin Cities. <br /> <br />Locomotives and Rolling Stock <br /> <br />Recommendations related to the acquisition of locomotives required for the safe, reliable <br />and cost-effective provision of joint commuter and freight rail service(s) are: <br /> <br />1. Purchase and utilize new locomotives as opposed to used and/or remanufactured <br /> motive power, <br /> <br />2. Specify commuter rail service proven locomotives as part of the development of a <br /> detailed technical specification for newly manufactured motive power, and <br /> <br />3. Acquire used and/or remanufactured locomotives in the event that future production <br /> schedules do not allow for the timely availability of new equipment. Specifications <br /> for the acquisition of these locomotives must be definitive as to rebuild/upgrade <br /> requirements and performance expectations. <br /> <br />Commuter Rail System Plan 4-9 <br /> <br /> <br />