PATCO Unveils New $19.4M Control Center In South Jersey

LINDENWOLD, NJ — The Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO) unveiled a new command facility in Lindenwold on Thursday.

The "Operations Control Center" monitors and manages communications, customer service, track situation responses, and overall efficiencies in the area of safety and reliability.

"Every train movement, communication, and operational decision runs through this building," PATCO General Manager John Rink said, while highlighting "the modern tools and technology needed to keep PATCO trains moving safely and smoothly."

The move to Lindenwold marks a $19.4 million look into the future from a Camden facility that's been used for more than 55 years.

Advancements in communications and fiber-optic technology allowed the "Operations Control Center" to include:

• A new control room for dispatching and rail operations
• Upgraded communications and monitoring systems
• Additional equipment to support operational resiliency and service continuity
• A new space for customer service and operational support staff
• A new consolidated area for operations, traffic analysts, schedulers, and support staff to work together and improve coordination and communication across departments
• A new high-bandwidth network that integrates with systemwide radio, surveillance, etc.

"This facility works behind the scenes, but riders will experience the benefits every day through safer, more reliable, and more efficient service," added Rink.

The Center Tower in Camden will still be used as a secondary operations center.

Construction on the Lindenwold facility began in 2023. The undertaking was the recipient of a New Jersey Leading Capital Construction Project Award from the New Jersey Alliance for Action in 2024.

The PATCO system serves 5.9 million riders each year across 14 stations from South Jersey to Philadelphia.

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