DEVELOPMENTS IN ENGINEERING DIAGNOSTICS: AUTOMATED TIE INSPECTION

With railroads making an enormous investment in crossties every year, improving the reliability of inspection is a key to maximizing crosstie life-cycle value. Visual inspection has typically been the most common procedure used in determining crosstie condition. Visual inspectors essentially mark ties for replacement based on physical appearance alone. With track integrity of greater and greater importance, and in conjunction with increased costs for wood ties, improving the accuracy of tie-condition assessment has never been more important. Toward that end, the development of an automated tie-inspection system began more than 20 years ago. A prototype vehicle used hydraulically-loaded wheels to measure gauge restraint; this vahicle has been superceded by the 'split-axle' system of measuring gauge restraint under load. The article discusses some of the technological advances in the field of automated tie inspection.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1763403
• Corporate Authors:

  Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation

  345 Hudson Street
  New York, NY  United States  10014
• Authors:
  • Brennan, C
• Publication Date: 1997-10

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 35-37
• Serial:
  • Railway Track and Structures
  • Volume: 93
  • Issue Number: 10
  • Publisher: Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation
  • ISSN: 0033-9016

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Diagnostic tests; Hydraulic equipment; Inspection; Railroad ties
• Uncontrolled Terms: Diagnostics; Replacement costs
• Old TRIS Terms: Automated inspection equipment; Hydraulic systems
• Subject Areas: Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00742563
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 19 1997 12:00AM