RAIL INSPECTION SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND TECHNOLOGY SURVEY

The study was undertaken to identify existing rail inspection system capabilities and methods which might be used to improve these capabilities. Task I was a study to quantify existing inspection parameters and Task II was a cost effectiveness study to utilize the results of Task I in defining the total costs incurred in inspecting and replacing rail and in defining the most cost effective inspection system. Some of the major findings from these studies were that the practices of stopping for hand check and to mark flaws and of manually processing all data were the major factors presently limiting inspection speeds. It was concluded that use of automatic data processing and elimination of the stops would allow speeds to be increased to about 25 mph (40 kmph) and inspection costs would be reduced by about a factor of 2. It was also concluded that with extensive transducer and carriage development, speeds up to 50 mph (80 kmph) were feasible and would further reduce inspection costs from 0 up to a maximum of about 30 percent depending upon usage. A recommendation was made to develop an inspection vehicle with an ultimate speed capability of 50 mph (80 kmph) or higher.

• Record URL:
  • https://railroads.dot.gov/elibrary/rail-inspection-systems-analysis-and-technology-survey
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Battelle Columbus Laboratories

  505 King Avenue
  Columbus, OH  United States  43201

  Federal Railroad Administration

  Office of Research and Development, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  Transportation Systems Center

  55 Broadway, Kendall Square
  Cambridge, MA  United States  02142
• Authors:
  • Kaiser, W D
  • Byers, R H
  • Ensminger, D
  • MEACHAM, H C
  • Flora, J H
• Publication Date: 1977-9

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Pagination: 229 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Analysis; Cost effectiveness; Costs; Data collection; Defects; Detection and identification; Electromagnetic devices; High speed vehicles; Information processing; Inspection; Magnetic materials; Materials tests; Nondestructive tests; Railroad rails; Railroad tracks; Ultrasonic tests
• Uncontrolled Terms: Cost analysis; Magnetic tests; Rail flaw detection
• Old TRIS Terms: Magnetic inspection
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Finance; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00167377
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT-TSC-FRA-77-13 Final Rpt., FRA/ORD-77/39
• Contract Numbers: DOT-TSC-979
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Dec 27 1978 12:00AM