HIGH-TECH INNOVATIONS FOR THE RAILROAD INDUSTRY
The future of the railroad industry depends on smart technology, but the budget for researching and developing high-tech projects can quickly get out of hand. To address this, UNSPACE has introduced The Innovation Workshop, a collaborative event with the UNSPACE team and subject matter experts in the rail industry to build effective rollout strategies for new technologies onto the rail yard. In these Innovation Sessions, our teams contrast the cost of inaction with the cost for the development of smart systems like computer vision monitoring, machine learning integrated unmanned aerial systems and acoustic spectrum imaging devices. By carefully considering both the cost and an implementation timeline, UNSPACE helps rail companies develop a five-year roadmap, ensuring a smooth, and safe, transition into the future of rail transportation.
972-689-1670 Info@Unspace.com
SAFETY VIOLATIONS
The future of rail safety depends on a safer yard and this can be accomplished with person detecting computer vision. This monitoring system, equipped to an existing camera system or a patrolling UAS, would automatically detect unsafe employee behaviors and notify yardmasters directly.
RAIL FOULING
Accidents caused by rail fouling might be one of the most easily avoided problems on the rail yard, but they still happen often. Using a computer vision program that recognizes trains and the geographic location of the tracks, a yard monitoring UAS could readily, and easily, identify cars left in the foul and alert yardmasters before a collision can occur.
BROKEN RAIL
A computer vision program that recognizes the presence of rail could be trained to judge the quality of rail. When prompted, A UAS trained to perform routine rail inspections could flag points of interest for rail maintenance and repair crews, greatly reducing the risk of a derailment. The integration of Lidar and thermal imaging might detect stress fracturing before damage is obvious to the human eye.
BRAKE SYSTEM AIR LEAKS
UNSPACE has tailored a unique solution to the problem of air leaks in the pneumatic braking systems on rail cars. We are exploring a sophisticated audio spectrum imaging tool which could listen for the unique frequency of leaking air lines. This tool could be used in the yard to inspect outbound trains, or in the field where it could be affixed to a UAS and activated as a trainwalk alternative in the event of a UDE.
FAILED COUPLERS
UNSPACE is exploring a computer vision solution to the problem of failed couplers in the rail yard. By analyzing couplers directly, as well as the movement of cars with failed couplers, UNSPACE is working on a machine learning integrated UAS system which could alert yardmasters of failed couplers before a car enters the classification yard.
THEFT AND VANDALISM
A computer vision program designed for employee safety could have it’s person identifying algorithm trained to detect other behaviors like theft and vandalism. When equipped onto a UAS, this application could be used for basic security surveillance, ensuring bad actors and illegal activities are quickly detected on the rail yard.
OBSTRUCTIONS & INFRASTRUCTURE
No matter how sophisticated a rail yard is, there are still external threats in the world abroad. UNSPACE is exploring solutions for the field including UAS systems designed for obstructions and infrastructure intregrity, and a project dedicated to emergency management, first responder engagement and situational awareness after a derailment.
HOT BEARING DETECTORS
After overheated bearings played a central role in the 2023 Ohio Derailment, the installation of hot bearing detectors on American rails has become a major focus of the FRA and the rail industry in general. UNSPACE is currently exploring alternative approaches to detecting hot bearings using UAS, LIDAR, and onboard detection systems.
(Photo by BBT609)