General Railway Signal
| Company type | Subsidiary (from 1965) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railway signaling systems and equipment |
| Predecessor | Pneumatic Signal Company, Taylor Signal Co., Standard Railroad Signal Company |
| Founded | 1904 |
| Defunct | 1998 |
| Fate | Acquired by Alstom Transport |
| Successor | Alstom Transport |
| Headquarters | Rochester, New York , United States |
Area served | International |
| Products | Railway signaling systems and equipment, including carborne signaling equipment, wayside signaling, central control signaling |
| Parent | General Signal Corporation (from 1965), Sasib (from 1989) |
General Railway Signal Company (GRS) was a U.S.-based manufacturer located near Rochester, New York, specializing in the design and production of railway signaling systems and equipment. Established in 1904 through the merger of Pneumatic Signal Company, Taylor Signal Co., and Standard Railroad Signal Company, GRS broadened its range of products and extended its international presence before being absorbed by Alstom Transport in 1998. The firm was included in the Dow Jones Industrial Average from 1928 until 1930.
History
The foundation of GRS came from the unification of three signaling companies in 1904. The company further expanded by purchasing Federal Signal Company based in Albany, New York, in 1923. GRS was among the thirty companies added to the Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1928 but was removed two years later in 1930. In 1965, it became a fully owned subsidiary of General Signal Corporation (GSX), which had diversified interests beyond railway signaling.
In 1960, GRS launched "General Railway Signal Company de Argentina" (GRSA) in Buenos Aires to manufacture and provide maintenance for signaling systems on key Argentine railways including Belgrano Norte and Sarmiento lines. This branch remained operational until the early 1980s.
Expanding its international footprint, GRS collaborated with China National Railway Signal & Communication Group Corporation (CRSC) in 1986 to establish Chinese-American Signal Company (CASCO) in Shanghai, focusing on producing railway signaling products tailored for the Chinese market.
In 1989, Italian corporation Sasib acquired GRS, incorporating it into the Sasib Railways division. Between 1993 and 1998, GRS moved its headquarters and manufacturing operations within the Rochester vicinity. The acquisition by Alstom in 1998 marked the end of the GRS name, with all subsequent products branded under Alstom.
Carborne signaling equipment
Wayside signaling
- DC coded track circuit systems
- Electronic communication technologies
- Electronic interlocking systems
- Railway relays
- Railroad signals
- Switch machines
- Track circuits
- Trip stop devices
- Yard retarders
Central control signaling
- Computerized Manual Control Systems
- Computerized Traffic Management Systems
- Control systems for Dark territory
- Electro-mechanical centralized traffic control (cTc) units
- Yard management systems
Railroads
- Amtrak
- BNSF Railway
- CSX Transportation
- Kansas City Southern Railway
- Norfolk Southern Railway
- Union Pacific Railroad
- Ferrocarriles Argentinos
- Transport Asset Holding Entity
- Former clients: Estrada de Ferro Central do Brasil (1933–1957), RFFSA (1957–1984), CBTU Rio de Janeiro (1984–1998)
- Supervia
- Canadian National Railway
- Canadian Pacific Railway
- Korean National Railroad
- Ferromex
- Transportación Ferroviaria
- ProRail
Transit
- Bay Area Rapid Transit, Chicago Transit Authority, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, NJ Transit, New York City Transit Authority, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
- Toronto Transit Commission
- Amsterdam Municipal Transport (Gemeentelijk Vervoerbedrijf)
- Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation
Major accomplishments
- Introduced the first centralized traffic control (cTc) system in 1927.
- Developed the "NX" (eNtrance-eXit) relay-based centralized traffic control technology in 1937.
- Established the inaugural fully automated freight yard in 1955.
- Launched the initial computer-operated central control office in 1968.
- Executed the first fully automatic train meeting planned and controlled by computer in 1981.
- Implemented microprocessor-driven interlocking technology known as "Vital Processor Interlocking" in 1986.
- Played a key role in the Amtrak Northeast Corridor Improvement Project during the 1980s.
- Marked its centennial celebration in 2004.