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Article: Aerial-Survey Data to Aid Amtrak in Mapping Northeast Corridor Line.(Originated from The Philadelphia Inquirer)
- Article from:
- Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
- Article date:
- May 8, 1997
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1997 Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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May 8--Here's the technology riddle of the week: How did Amtrak use a helicopter to make its trains go faster?
The answer starts with the fact that the little two-person bubble helicopter in question, when operated by the right surveying company, isn't merely air transportation. It's loaded with enough sophisticated gadgets and software to put it on the leading edge of the science known as geographic information systems, or computerized mapping.
Amtrak last month used John E. Chance & Associates, a Lafayette, La., surveying firm, to quickly and efficiently record a massive amount of data about its 450-mile Boston-to-Washington Northeast ...