AUTOMATED GAGE INSPECTION

The L&N Railroad has been inspecting track gage using a "high railer" outfitted with a mechanical feeler system. The high railer was able to inspect the track at moderate speeds and it carried a paint spray system to identify with colored stripes those portions of track that required maintenance attention. Because of the possible dynamic gage widening that could occur under a locomotive during certain train handling operations, the L&N Railroad suspected that the unloaded measurement provided by the high railer might not be indicative of the true dynamic gage. Therefore, the L&N undertook to outfit a locomotive with a measuring system which could measure gage in the vicinity of the wheels most likely to encounter dynamic gage widening. A non-contact gage measuring system was installed on an L&N locomotive by ENSCO, Inc. This system was very similar to the gage measuring system in use aboard the DOT test cars. The system employs capacitive proximity sensors. By mounting the sensors in the shadows of the wheel flanges, the sensors are well protected from damage and are in a location close to the very point of interest where dynamic widening is anticipated.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was recommended by the IEEE Land Transportation Committee of the IEEE Industry Applications Society for presentation at the 1973 Joint ASME/IEEE Railroad Conference, St. Louis, Mo., April 11-12, 1973. The price is $1.35 for members.
• Corporate Authors:

  Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

  3 Park Avenue, 17th Floor
  New York, NY  United States  10016-5997
• Authors:
  • KAUFMAN, W M
  • Borntraeger, J E
• Publication Date: 1973-1

Media Info

• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: 6 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Data collection; Inspection; Measuring instruments; Railroad tracks; Structural design
• Uncontrolled Terms: Track geometry
• Old TRIS Terms: Gauge inspection
• Subject Areas: Design; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00044308
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
• Report/Paper Numbers: Paper C73-921-4-IA
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 15 1976 12:00AM