Ch. 4: Understanding PC*Miler

Question 1

What is PC*Miler

Answer 1

• developed by ALK Technologies
• QTS’s primary mapping tool
• 2 separate platforms
  
  • frontend - used to verify and identify waypoints via SPLCs
  • backend - patched into TFM to build carrier segments

Question 2

PC*Miler provides…

Answer 2

• a comprehensive carrier database of all rail stations in North America (data from Centralized Station Master list)
• the ability to plot out and verify the accuracy of waypoints of multiple carriers of a TFM trip plan
• the routing engine used by TFM to generate carrier segments

Question 3

SPLC #

Answer 3

• standard point location code
• technical identifier for specific city or waypoint in TFM location database (SPLC Maintenance Table)
• our SPLC Maintenance Table requires periodic manual updates (to sync with Centralized Station Master list from Rail Inc.)
  
  • no removal of outdated SPLCs from TFM, which means some SPLCs are unable to be entered into PC*Miler

Question 4

T/F
In PC*Miler, carrier segments should be assigned (and saved) to its own respective route with its own respective color

Answer 4

True
This allows for saved mapped carrier segment movements to be used later

Question 5

3 methods of inputting waypoints to PC*Miler

Answer 5

1. City and State
2. SPLC #
3. Asterisk (*)

Question 6

How to save carrier segments

Answer 6

Include state abbreviations so you can use Boolean search to more quickly filter saved carrier segments

Question 7

Types of PC*Miler reports

Answer 7

• Key Station Report
  
  • a distance analysis of manually entered waypoints
  • PRD team uses when processing “A11 Packets”
• Detailed Geocode Report
  
  • used by TFM for generating Carrier Segment Movements
  • a distance analysis of manually entered waypoints and all possible waypoints in between