Rail And Transit
Redefining Rail And Transit
As global leaders take action against climate change, fully optimizing our rail and transit systems is more important than ever. The challenges we face require a visionary approach to modernize transportation systems, enhancing both freight and passenger rail networks to reduce our dependence on personal vehicles, and improve our ability to move both people and goods within and between regions, and increase overall efficiency.
Leading Sustainable Mobility Solutions
Explore Our Full Range Of Offerings
Digitizing Rail And Transit Infrastructure
To help guide our clients through their digitalization journey, our Digital team developed a holistic roadmap with a focus on strategy, technology enablement, enhanced operations, and impactful outcomes.
With a digital strategy and governance plan in place, our clients can leverage data aggregated by design, construction, and commissioning teams to optimize current and future projects.
We embed intelligence into every phase of the project lifecycle—leveraging advanced digital tools, AI-driven analytics, and integrated systems.
Our digital twin solutions add value to every phase of the lifecycle through three key functionalities: data ingestion and aggregation, advanced analytics, and real-time visualization and monitoring that enables operators to take action. By delivering end-to-end visibility through a single-pane-of-glass, clients can efficiently manage assets and visualize the infrastructure’s operational health to optimize performance, reduce costs, and improve sustainability.
Train Control And Systems Integration
Systems Integration
We leverage the latest advancements in digitalization, automation, and artificial intelligence to improve rail operations and enhance passenger experience. Our wide-range of capabilities for rail systems and integration include:
- Systems engineering, design and integration, testing and commissioning, and maintenance and support
- Signaling and train control systems and centers
- Rail power systems
- Communication systems
- SCADA systems
- Fare payment systems
- Vehicle engineering
Communications-Based Train Control
We deliver end-to-end communications-based train control (CBTC) services and solutions that improve safety and efficiency through real-time train tracking, automatic train control, and advanced train-to-wayside communications. Our CBTC experts provide system design, implementation, testing, and maintenance, and training and support services. Learn more about CBTC through our explainer video below.
Positive Train Control
Our comprehensive positive train control (PTC) solutions are designed to improve safety by preventing train-to-train collisions, derailments caused by excessive speed, and unauthorized train movements. They also enhance operational efficiency by optimizing train schedules and reducing downtime. Our PTC capabilities include system design, implementation, testing, and maintenance, as well as training and support services. Learn more about a few of our PTC implementations:
Planning And Feasibility Studies
Planning is at the core of transportation and transit modernization. At Parsons, we have a fully integrated planning department to help prepare our designers, engineers, and clients for the many possibilities presented by modern transit and transportation needs. Learn more about the focus we place on transportation planning below:
New Opportunities
Advents such as micro-mobility, transportation network companies (e.g., Uber and Lyft), on-demand transit, paratransit, battery-electric vehicles and infrastructure, hydrogen fuel-cell electric technology, etc. have all presented new opportunities, efficiencies, and challenges to Departments of Transportation and Transit Agencies. Planning, analyzing, modeling, and planning again helps to ensure all facets, considerations, stakeholders, and risks are properly assessed and valued in the future projects.
A Greater Focus On Planning
As a discipline, there has been a greater value placed by Departments of Transportation and Transit Agencies upon planning, as evidenced by the establishment of their own internal planning departments. These departments are also leading the grantmaking process, which allows for additional, supplemental funding to be available to these owners for future projects and modernization. As a result, Parsons has adapted our planning and grantmaking team to align with our client's approach and to coordinate with our design engineers.
Technology Integration
Our planners are experienced with technology, such as power demand modeling, fixed-route transit modeling, paratransit modeling, financial modeling, share procurement design, managed and automated traffic management software, and much more, as a means to make future transportation and transit enhancements more efficient and effective.
Featured Projects
Rail And Transit Innovation
Understanding The Role Of The Program Delivery Partner (PDP)
Explore the role of a Program Delivery Partner in enhancing value for large-scale infrastructure programs and overcoming common challenges.
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The Future Of Transportation: How AI Is Changing The Way We Move
What if we were able to ask transportation management software questions about traffic patterns, the availability of other modes of transportation, parking options, and traffic incidents and their causes to better understand the past, present, and future of mobility in a matter of minutes?
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Looking Towards A Zen-like ZEB Transition – “Take A (Cleansing) Breath”
It’s a discussion that almost every transit agency is having in North America – what do we need to do, when are we going to do it, and can we […]
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How Can The Grid Possibly Manage All The Demand From EVs?
The mobility electrification of America is happening right now and accelerating faster than utilities may have expected. Every day, more EVs are driving around our communities and becoming less of a novelty than a few years ago.
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Emergence Of The Program Delivery Partner Approach
With an ever-increasing global investment in infrastructure, clients are looking to maximize the value of returns on their project pipelines.
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A Time To Look Backwards – And Ahead
In 2019 Parsons was selected by CSX Transportation to complete the Phase II (Final) design of CREATE Project P3, which will result in elimination of an existing at-grade crossing between CSX and three other railroads: Norfolk Southern, Metra, and the Belt Railway of Chicago.
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Teamwork And Technology Bring Positive Train Control Safety System To NJ TRANSIT
As New Jersey’s public transportation corporation, NJ TRANSIT aims to provide safe, reliable, convenient, and cost-effective transit service. Covering 5,325 square miles of service area, NJ TRANSIT is the third […]
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Power In Motion: How Parsons Is Electrifying the Future Of Rail
In the world of modern rail transportation, reliable and resilient traction power infrastructure is not just a requirement; it is the foundation of safe, efficient, and sustainable mobility. At Parsons, we’ve made it our mission to deliver innovative traction power solutions that meet today’s challenges and anticipate tomorrow’s needs.
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The Future of Mobility Depends On How We Build Today: Parsons’ Vision For Integrated Rail And Transit Systems
For over 80 years, Parsons has been a leader in designing, engineering, and delivering transformative transportation systems that shape how cities and economies move.
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What If Cities Could Be Built Like LEGO?
Discover how modular construction is reshaping cities in the Middle East with smarter, sustainable solutions for urban growth.
Read MoreWe Keep The World Moving
Learn more about how we’re fully optimizing rail and transit systems.
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