LINDENWOLD, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — The dispatchers who coordinate PATCO trains now have a new, state-of-the-art place to work. A ribbon was cut in front of the new operations center in Lindenwold Thursday.
The $19 million center replaces a control tower in Camden that dates back to the Speedline’s inception in 1969. PATCO General Manager John Rink said technology at the old control tower was hardly new.
"It's like Lite Brite. It had little light bulbs behind that would light up,” he said.
Now, there's a wall-size digital screen to monitor operations. The customer service side of the room has monitors where representatives can see customers who have ticket trouble.
"We have screens here with cameras on each of the fare gate systems. And they can look to see who or what station a customer is having an issue at," said Rink.
The Lindenwold center allows PATCO to consolidate its operations all in place, but it is keeping the original Camden control center as a backup should it ever be needed.
The old control tower in Camden will be kept as a backup
The old control tower in Camden will be kept as a backup
