It's the equipment that was missing in all the other vehicles so far. Position reporting and related Automatic Train Protection, video, voice, and data communications, wayside equipment control, etc.
My best guess is that the region spec'd and obtained it themselves after Metrolinx' stalling during their attempts to break the Bombardier contract in favour of Alstom, but I really don't know. Maybe Metrolinx eventually inked their spec and we just went with it. It's been called the 'Specialized Equipment' by Tom Galloway in the press, and the Free Issue Equipment by those familiar with industry lingo.
Whatever you want to call it, it's finally all here in 511 and a whole new phase of the testing has begun. Huzzah!
Edited 2018-10-16 to correct "Field Issued Equipment" to "Free Issue Equipment". D'oh!
My best guess is that the region spec'd and obtained it themselves after Metrolinx' stalling during their attempts to break the Bombardier contract in favour of Alstom, but I really don't know. Maybe Metrolinx eventually inked their spec and we just went with it. It's been called the 'Specialized Equipment' by Tom Galloway in the press, and the Free Issue Equipment by those familiar with industry lingo.
Whatever you want to call it, it's finally all here in 511 and a whole new phase of the testing has begun. Huzzah!
Edited 2018-10-16 to correct "Field Issued Equipment" to "Free Issue Equipment". D'oh!
...K