Modernizing Transit SCADA Systems with Proficy®

Urban transit systems face increasing pressure to deliver reliable, safe, and efficient services amid growing ridership and aging infrastructure. This Transit Authority operates one of the most critical transit systems in the United States, serving millions of passengers annually. They needed to modernize their control systems to ensure real-time monitoring, rapid response to incidents, and seamless integration with existing assets.

They partnered with Avista Realtime Systems, LLC (Avista) – due to their deep knowledge and expertise in power automation – to enhance their operational efficiency, safety, and reliability with a more open SCADA system that would allow them to add all their assets and empower their operators with data and analytics. The project aimed to replace traditional control room operations with a robust, scalable, and secure SCADA solution. Avista decided to build this new SCADA solution on the Proficy® platform by GE Vernova as it’s mature, tested, and up-to-date. They knew GE Vernova’s Proficy® HMI/SCADA iFIX could provide the functionality they needed – utility-grade scale of platforms in many different verticals and secure integration with Proficy® Historian, without much configuration or custom programming, to empower their client’s management and engineering teams with real-time monitoring, alarm management, and event analysis. This system provides a comprehensive framework for data acquisition, supervisory control, and operator interaction, tailored to the rail transit operator’s unique operational environment.

The modernized SCADA system – integrated by Avista and built on GE Vernova’s Proficy® platform, is a distributed, open-architecture solution designed to manage data from remote terminal units (RTUs) across various transit stations. Its architecture integrates several core components:

The deployment of this large rail transit operator’s bespoke SCADA system was executed with a focus on scalability, engineering training, and minimal disruption to ongoing operations. Key phases included:

The system’s open architecture, leveraging standards like OPC, ActiveX, and ODBC, facilitated integration with third-party applications and future upgrades, ensuring long-term adaptability.

The system has delivered measurable improvements across operational, safety, and maintenance domains:

The project demonstrates the power of modern automation in transforming transit infrastructure management. By integrating advanced SCADA technology with a robust training framework, this large rail transit operator has established a resilient, efficient, and secure management system that meets the demands of a dynamic urban environment. This initiative not only enhances current operations but also positions them to adapt to future challenges, setting a benchmark for transit authorities worldwide.

This case study underscores the importance of scalable architecture, operator empowerment, and a focus on real-time data utilization. As urban transit systems evolve, solutions like this will remain critical to delivering safe, reliable, and efficient services.