Railroad and AI
We have all tried to wait for a delayed train. Actually train delays cost rail operators $21,800,000,000 every year globally.
Not only passengers are affected by delays. Our entire supply chain is being delayed if a freight train is delayed. If the goods does not arrive at a harbor on time the ship will be delayed and the customer will receive their goods late.
Delays happen because of a lot of different incidents. But delays because of hot weather is becoming more and more common. The global temperature is rising and this means that the rails become hotter. If rails become to hot trains have to slow down because of the safety aspect. But rail operators enforce slow orders based on the weather services and not localized weather data.
RailGuard is providing a tool for the rail operators to get local rail temperature and ambient information. The data is collected, analyzed using AI and inform the rail operator where speed orders should be enforced and when it is safe to cancel the slow order. This information help minimize delays benefitting passengers, freight customers and the rail operator.
RailGuard is the solution
The device that we have developed is solving all the problems described. RailGuard is a multi purpose IoT device that have an installation time of less than 5 minutes. Once the device is turned on, it automatically connect to the Internet using a cellular connection. It collect data every 20 minutes and stream data to our Cloud solution.
All data is sent to our Microsoft Azure powered Cloud solution and stored in different databases.
Our device is what we call an “Install and forget” device which means that the rail operators quickly can install a lot of devices and start harvest the data. Once a year, the battery needs to be replaced on-site.
Track Cant and Tilt Monitoring with AI
Enhancing Rail Safety and Efficiency Understanding the cant and tilt of cross-level and profile is crucial for assessing how a track is positioned on its surface. Factors like weather variations, seasonal changes, and train weights can impact the track's alignment over time. Traditionally, manual inspections requiring on-site visits were necessary for continuous monitoring.
RailGuard revolutionizes this process by employing sensors to consistently measure track cant and tilt. Leveraging AI analysis, it predicts future track movements, empowering rail operators to prioritize maintenance efforts effectively. This advanced technology eliminates manual measurements, enhancing employee safety, and enables measurements every 20 minutes, 24/7.
Furthermore, monitoring track movement helps detect lateral shifts and tilting over time. Addressing such issues promptly is essential to prevent speed reductions, minimizing disruptions to timetables, and avoiding financial losses for rail operators.
