A Case Study Of Using Advanced Measurement Technologies To Inspect Railway Track Condition

National Research Council Canada in collaboration with Transport Canada, Canadian Rail Research Laboratory, and Canadian National Railway initiated a research project to assess the potential of two measurement technologies - a rolling deflection measurement system and instrumented wheelsets - for monitoring track condition. This paper presents a sample of data collected over one mile of track during this study and interprets the physical meaning of its variation over different track features. The measurements from these systems represent actual field conditions as recorded from under a loaded rail car and at operating speed. The measurements from the rolling deflection system were used to quantify the stiffness of track whereas the instrumented wheelsets were used to identify locations where there was excessive vertical, lateral, or longitudinal forces. The analysis of the data suggested that the information provided by these two systems was different than the measurements from existing inspection methods such as the track geometry car, and can be potentially used for performance-based assessment of railway tracks.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AR060 Standing Committee on Railway Maintenance.
• Authors:
  • Roghani, Alireza
  • Caldwell, Robert
  • Hendry, Michael T
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 97th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2018-1-7 to 2018-1-11
• Date: 2018

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: 12p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Case studies; Inspection; Instrumented vehicles; Instruments for measuring deformation or deflection; Maintenance of way; Measurement; Railroad tracks; Rolling contact; Wheelsets (Railroads)
• Subject Areas: Maintenance and Preservation; Railroads; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01662547
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 18-02938
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 12 2018 3:02PM