Monitoring of the rail network and -traffic on defined limits are exceeded by example of-round wheels, polygons, flats, wheel and axle loads, tonnage train compositions, speed, sound and vibration, operational limitations - An issue in your authority?

 

The law requires the railways, to run their operating safely, to build the railway infrastructure safely and to keep in condition for safe operation. Tasks of the EBA ar the supervision of vehicles, the supervision of railway operations, the professional technical appraisal of vehicle workshops for the maintenance of railway vehicles, monitoring the transport of dangerous goods according to the Dangerous Goods Regulation and noise abatement.

Since the introduction of the European Directive 91/440 EU more and more train operator use the tracks of the Deutsche Bahn (DB Netz AG) in Germany. For the infrastructure the automated monitoring of the railway vehicles with frequent high axle loads and high speeds traveling on their tracks is urgently needed. Trains that move from one network to another - eg at a border crossing - must comply eventually with any other conditions for this network. Monitoring systems that are installed close to the border can make an appropriate control.

The infrastructure manager expects the operator of a train or railway vehicle that its trains, locomotives and wagons meet the following requirements:

  • Agreements (covering eg type of locomotive, number of wagons, tonnage) regarding train composition.
  • Compliance with the vehicle speed.
  • Comply with the limits for wheel and axle loads.
  • Wheels have an agreed minimum quality in terms of roundness, flats and the like.
  • Monitoring the wheel condition.
  • Statistics and monitoring of train characteristics.
  • Reducing the maintenance costs of the infrastructure through preventive maintenance with the operators of the train or

Runouts (Poylgons), flat spots and spalling affect safety against derailment, the running quality, wear and comfort of locomotives and wagons and their noise emission. For railway wheels is also expected by runout with increased dynamic forces in the wheel-rail contact. Wheels and wear thereof are therefore to be controlled carefully.

Wheel defects lead to increased maintenance requirement for the railroad network and the entire superstructure (fluting, hollow layers, stresses in the rail track loading, etc.)

Out- of- roundness or flats of a railway wheel have a negative effect on the smooth running and wear on the wheel and cause additional noise for residents. Therefore, the German Federal Government is pursuing a national noise target of halving poverty by 2020 is expected to emission-based track access charges and from 2020 onwards with use restrictions for non-compliant vehicles. The pressure of the residents and communities of interest is continuously increasing and has an impact on travel times, costs and returns. The noise reduction is a key issue for the rail system. In train sets emission and sources of damage must be detected wheel- and polluter exact. What action is required?

Solution:

  • Strategically distributed wayside train monitoring systems throughout the network provide a broad and perfected vehicle and track monitoring.
  • The EBA can observe and classify with the tool LASCA® the actual move-quality of customer vehicles and detect excessively damaging railway vehicles on their path wheel accurately and timely.
  • Extension of the monitoring package to the wheel-and causation accurate noise monitoring using the tools MONI and MOVIE.
  • Non-discriminatory data acquisition and processing of mixed traffic and by railway transport company.
  • Reduction of dynamic forces in operational use to protect the infrastructure and vehicle fleet - Avoidance of wheel and rail breaks.
  • Reducing sound and vibration emissions - particularly noise and residents' complaints - filtered data release to increase acceptance.
  • Condition-based maintenance of the entire fleet – Smoothness of rotation: "The most monitored fleet" - TÜV certified monitoring system -.

Results:

  • Improving the quality of infrastructure by influencing railway transport companies and network operators.
  • Improve comfort for the passenger.
  • Reducing noise levels of the residents.
  • Protection of sensitive railway facilities and significant resource and cost savings in maintenance.
  • Determination of railway transport companies-specific load and environmental profiles.
  • Accurate determination of the noise and damage sources as a basis for noise abatement measures.
  • Observation of track geometry changes and the wear behavior.
  • Refinancing of investment through the sale of data to the network operator.
  • Defining and establishing uniform standards and limits.
  • Exercise of public authority and supervision of rail transport.
  • Timely intervention by identifying problems and dangers.

Monitoring Systems