Automatic Truck Performance Measuring System (ATPMS)
The ATPMS is a wayside detector that identifies railcars with poorly curving trucks as the train moves over the installation site. The ATPMS is a valuable tool which can be used for identifying cars with defects and lead to
Derailment Prevention
Long Term Maintenance Plans
The ATPMS can be utilized in several types of railcar operations, such as:
● Captive Fleet Operations - In operations where the same cars will be seen many times, such as mine-to-port operations, the ATPMS can provide Corporate Management with valuable information on vehicle performance and allow Management to take corrective action on poorly curving cars and grossly overloaded cars.
● Unit Train Operations - Placing the ATPMS in areas with a high percentage of unit trains, such as coal transportation corridors, allows fleet operators to monitor loading and performance trends of trains.
● Intermodal Corridors - Past research has shown that 125-ton doublestack cars can produce high lateral gage spreading forces. Using the ATPMS to monitor doublestack corridors provides positive dividends for both the car owners and the rail operators.
● Mixed Freight Operation - Many railroads, particularly regional lines, operate corridors where a majority of the cars are relatively 'captive'. Finding the 'bad actor' cars reduces both derailment potential and track/vehicle maintenance costs.
● Passenger / Transit Operations
The operators of passenger and transit lines benefit from the ATPMS by knowing which vehicles are exhibiting poor curving performance and causing excessive noise and vibration.
The ATPMS, which is placed in the curve of a track, identifies poorly curving trucks by measuring the Lateral and Vertical forces generated at the wheel/rail interface by the wheel sets in each rail car of a train. The measurements are made as the train passes the detector site at track speed. Data is collected in real-time and poorly performing, unsafe cars are reported immediately to designated operating personnel. All wheel set force data is collected into a database so that it is available for further analysis and maintenance planning. For details on the ATPMS design and installation click here.
Field tests with the ATPMS have shown that there is a definite correlation between poor curving performance and mechanical defects. Some mechanical defects, which may not be visible during routine car inspections, have been identified using the ATPMS.
RSI's software can also analyze the detector data in real-time and determine which cars may be exhibiting unusually high forces. The ATPMS system can then alert operating personnel so they can take immediate action on cars with high derailment potential.
Identification and correction of cars with poor curving performance helps to REDUCE...
Wheel and Flange Wear
Rail, Fastener and Crosstie Wear
Derailment Potential
