CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) is moving forward with bringing in some cutting-edge technology that would make riding on the light rail easier and safer for everyone.
The agency said it would essentially enhance service quality, increase safety and make operations more efficient.
Interim CEO Brent Cagle shared how Charlotte could be the first city in the nation to use this technology.
The agency says it is excited to have officially signed a contract with Siemens on this and it will help CATS catch issues with their trains before they happen.
“What this really means is that it gives us the ability to be proactive in the maintenance of the vehicles,” Cagle said.
The light rail moves folks around Charlotte. Good working wheels and bearings keep the trains on track that’s why CATS partnered with Siemens to adopt a new technology system to monitor bearing health in real time.
“If you think about cars these days, they self-diagnosis, they help you understand and this is really an extension of that,” Cagle said.
Cagle said the system is prevalent in Asia and Europe, but Charlotte could be the first in North America to get the wheels moving on this new device.
It would make it easier to predict an issue like the derailment that happened in May 2022 because of a faulty wheel bearing.
“It means you have an even earlier opportunity to recognize if a situation could be taking shape…and do something about it before you have any malfunction,” said Charlotte City Councilman Ed Driggs.
Driggs is also the chairperson of the Transportation, Planning and Development Council Committee. He adds this is all happening in the midst of a complete overhaul of CATS trains which started last summer for the entire fleet to be repaired following the derailment.
He said this new tech is a game changer for CATS and the city of Charlotte.
“That will actually put us a step ahead of most cities in America because that has not been widely adopted yet,” said Driggs.
CATS says it does not have a current timeline on when it will be fully operational. However, over the next year, the agency will work with Siemens to start testing a prototype on its trains- and work its way toward integrating the new device into its fleet.
Contact Jesse Pierre at jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.