NORFOLK, Va., March 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Norfolk
Southern (NYSE: NSC) today announced that it has achieved a
breakthrough in track inspection technology that will enhance
railroad safety and operating efficiencies.
Combining ingenuity and innovation, the company is the first
North American freight railroad to develop and deploy an autonomous
track geometry measurement system that is mounted on a locomotive.
In contrast, autonomous track-inspection systems commercially
available today are installed on converted freight or passenger
rail cars, which require an external power source to operate and
occupy space on a train that could be used to move
revenue-producing freight.
"With our locomotive-based system, we use an existing asset to
increase the frequency of our track inspections, without adding
another piece of equipment that has to be run across the railroad,"
said Ed Boyle, vice president
engineering. "This innovative approach enhances our safety
practices by permitting us to have precise and quality track
inspections done under load at track speed. With this system,
Norfolk Southern will provide service safely, efficiently, and
cost-effectively."
Norfolk Southern's track inspection group, part of the
Engineering Department, developed this mold-breaking system. It
provides a more robust and cost-effective way to continuously
monitor track performance in near real-time. The system is mounted
in a ruggedized box under a six-axle road locomotive between the
snow plow and the first set of wheels. A computer that powers the
system is housed inside the electrical locker in the locomotive
cab.
The autonomous system supplies timely and accurate data used for
track maintenance activities and capital budgeting. The system
facilitates compliance with both Norfolk Southern and Federal
Railroad Administration track safety standards.
As part of a pilot, Norfolk Southern is operating the autonomous
system on a mainline between Norfolk,
Virginia, and Portsmouth,
Ohio. The route offers a comprehensive range of track and
operating conditions, including straight and curved track, hilly
terrain, and high-tonnage loads.
"With this innovative system, any time this locomotive is moving
and pulling freight, it is testing track at the same time," said
Mike Allran, manager track
inspection and development, who helped lead the initiative. "This
gives us more robust data for use in predictive-modeling to
determine track maintenance intervals, which enables us to maximize
efficiencies that will generate significant cost savings."
Norfolk Southern turned to defense industry firms to find
commercially available components to build the system, which
consists of lasers, gyros, accelerometers, and global positioning
system sensors. The system can detect defects or anomalies in track
geometry, including track gauge, or the distance between rails, and
the elevation and curvature of track. The system transmits
inspection data wirelessly to office locations, where track
geometry engineers confirm potential defects and notify track
maintenance personnel.
The autonomous inspection system will supplement testing done by
the company's existing fleet of manned track geometry cars and
hi-rail trucks. Norfolk Southern plans to equip additional
locomotives with the system and potentially upgrade its
capabilities, including adding an optical system to evaluate track
components such as fasteners, rail welds, and switch points.
"Our team is committed to helping Norfolk Southern achieve
industry leadership in the use of advanced technologies to enhance
safety, increase operating efficiencies, and better serve our
customers," Allran said. "The development and deployment of our
autonomous track-inspection system is one more way we are making
progress toward that goal, generating benefits for us and all our
stakeholders."
Watch this Norfolk Southern video for more information about
the railroad's innovative track-inspection system.
About Norfolk Southern
Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation's
premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway
Company subsidiary operates approximately 19,500 route miles in 22
states and the District of
Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern
United States, and provides
efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern is a
major transporter of industrial products, including chemicals,
agriculture, and metals and construction materials. In addition,
the railroad operates the most extensive intermodal network in the
East and is a principal carrier of coal, automobiles, and
automotive parts.
http://www.norfolksouthern.com
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SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation