Long Beach Container Terminal (LBCT)

The Long Beach Container Terminal (LBCT) is one of the most technologically advanced terminals in the world and one of the busiest in the United States. Situated in the Port of Long Beach, next to the Port of Los Angeles, LBCT handles up to 3.3 million standard shipping containers of freight a year, which is then distributed across North America. Both ports are serviced by the Pacific Harbor Line (PHL), a short line railroad with 115 miles of track.

LBCT recently completed a multi-billion-dollar rail expansion to transform it into one of the largest, most productive, and environmentally sustainable terminals on the planet.

What Tracsis Did

At such a busy terminal, it’s paramount that operations run as smoothly, safely and efficiently as possible 24/7.

Tracsis installed an automated switching system for the Pacific Harbor Line at LBCT which takes a sophisticated process and makes it simple for the operators; that is, easy to use and manage considering the state-of-the-art software and hardware involved.

Staff utilize the switching system to set routes which then automates the throwing of the correct switches. This is done using touch screen panels on monitors located in kiosks situated away from railroad operations, keeping them off the tracks and away from moving trains.

The system ensures that incoming trains enter the right track and receive the correct cargo. The system also enables remote control of Blue Flags (LED indicators) and Derails.

Blue Flags (LED indicators) indicate that people are working on the train, loading, or inspecting cargo or conducting maintenance, and Derails block a track physically so that trains are unable to enter it.

While the system at LBCT has been set up on in-house servers, railroad operators can choose to use either their own servers or cloud technology, depending on their requirements.

There has never been a derailment or safety issue related to the Tracsis system at LBCT since it was installed in 2014.