LIRR signal system upgrades to cost $500G

January 30, 2012 By ALFONSO A. CASTILLO  alfonso.castillo@newsday.com

More surge protection and improved isolation of computer processors are among $500,000 in upgrades planned for the LIRR's $56-million signal system at Jamaica station that was seriously damaged by a September lightning strike, almost bringing the railroad to a halt, officials said Monday.

The Italian company that designed the system -- Ansaldo STS, of Genoa -- has agreed to pay for those improvements...