In 1990, New York City Transit issued a call for tenders for the design and supply of subway cars calling on the new technology of the 21st century. The R142 project proved to be highly innovative and many other system manufacturers were unwilling to take the risk of submitting tenders. In fact, one of those selected approached us to work as a development partner.

After analyzing various digital technologies, we opted for a link based on the E1 standard, the European cousin of the North American T1. The European standard offered greater transfer capacity thanks to its doubly fast clock cycle. The project presented a number of other technological challenges, notably the extensive use of microprocessors and the first-time use of CMS components.

The work was completed on a very tight schedule and delivery was made by the required date. After three years of use, equipment performance was such that the NYCT now uses our concepts and requires that they be included in all new specifications.

Variations of these systems are now in use in Boston, Montreal, New Jersey, and on the new Amtrak high-speed train.

At the time, most systems were designed using curtain or flip-dot technology. Our researchers looked at two new techniques: liquid crystal display (LCD) and light emitting diodes (LED).

They narrowed down their choices to LCD technology for its low energy consumption, superior field of vision, and greater visibility in all ambient lighting conditions. These first applications of LCD in a public transit context proved the technology's remarkable qualities.

Economically speaking, Axion (then Pocatec) showed manufacturers they could cut costs considerably by integrating audio and visual communication systems, two traditionally distinct systems, although they essentially transmit the same information in two different ways. They demonstrated that substantial savings could be made by combining all system function controls in the same central processor.

For its new high-speed train, Amtrak was seeking the same comfort features provided by its main competitor, the airlines. Amtrak decided to add individual listening stations to each seat and to offer film viewing. The existing systems in use in motor coaches were not reliable, while those used by airlines were too costly. That is when Amtrak turned to Axion (then Pocatec) with its high tech production challenge – and very tight schedule!

Axion developed a brand new system, capitalizing on the data transmission capability of its digital network. The result was acoustically superior and more reliable and economical than any other product available on the market.

Axion later upgraded the original system, adding a personal screen to each seatback, thus eliminating the problem of restricted vision from certain seats.