The MTA's Oldest Controls Kept Going During the Tech Outage
Amid a global tech outage, New York City's MTA relied on old but reliable systems to transport 5 million passengers. Efforts to upgrade technology continue for enhanced efficiency and reliability.
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During a global tech outage, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York City managed to keep its old computer technology running smoothly, ensuring the operation of thousands of subway cars, commuter trains, and buses. While other systems struggled, the MTA's outdated controls proved reliable, transporting around 5 million New Yorkers to their destinations. The MTA's ancient infrastructure, particularly the system controlling the numbered subway lines, remained unaffected by the outage due to its robust design from the late 1990s. In contrast, newer countdown clocks on lettered lines, hastily implemented under Governor Andrew Cuomo's directive, experienced issues as they were not fully integrated with the subway's operations. The MTA's ongoing efforts to upgrade to computer-based train control systems, like those on the L and No. 7 lines, aim to enhance efficiency and reliability, albeit at a significant cost. Despite challenges and delays in modernizing its technology, the MTA's ability to maintain essential services during the tech outage highlights the resilience of its aging infrastructure.
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7 commentsThat seems like a prudent approach, not half baked. Keep the ancillary system air-gapped from the life critical parts.
[1] https://www.mobility.siemens.com/global/en/portfolio/digital...
Let me fix that for you “the MTA’s deeply fragmented IT systems are so mutually incompatible that at most only half the system crashes at one time.”
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