Railroads around the world should become more attractive, user-friendly, efficient, competitive, affordable, easy to maintain, efficient and sustainable. Ongoing diagnosis and monitoring of the entire rail infrastructure – from the track bed to the rolling stock – is a key component of this.
Switches in particular, which enable the seamless connection of railroad lines, and bridge connections are the focus of maintenance engineers and asset managers, but of course also locomotives and wagons. Because one thing is certain: freight transport, high-speed railroads and urban subway railroads must ensure high availability while simultaneously reducing costs.
In addition to rails, switches, bridges, locomotives and wagons, an optimally functioning rail infrastructure also requires appropriate signaling and monitoring systems, because the movements on the tracks must be perfectly coordinated and, above all, safe. And that …
Why? Because delays and interruptions lead to dissatisfied customers, fines and loss of revenue for the operators.
System information and information for rolling stock in real time supports the planning and execution of maintenance work, which favors the requirements for reliability, safety and cost reduction in all situations. The trend towards digital rail solutions became clear not least at the important InnoTrans rail trade fair in Berlin: there, and of course in practical use by our customers worldwide, the „zentrak“ software platform showed how this can be achieved.
The zentrak software platform combines all railroad software modules within the Railway Systems Group. In concrete terms, this means that zentrak enables preventive and precise maintenance of the rail operator’s entire rail system with smart and integrated monitoring of the fixed rail infrastructure and rolling stock checks. We also provide the necessary hardware – the sensors – for our customers under the zentrak brand
High-tech sensors are used to record and transmit precise status data of a specific fixed installation or rolling stock in real time. The zentrak software platform collects this data and displays the results immediately and independently of location in clear dashboards for the rail infrastructure operators or can trigger alarms to the train drivers concerned. In this way, the life cycle of the systems is recorded digitally and the optimum maintenance strategy can be derived from this. This maximizes availability, optimizes maintenance costs and reduces the risk of failure.
When monitoring the fixed rail infrastructure, the focus is on the switches (Switch Condition Monitoring, SCM for short) as highly fragile and particularly important connecting elements for the rail network. Speeds of almost 400 km/h and branching speeds of over 200 km/h on high-performance lines place enormous demands on rails and switches.
Train detection and identification (Train Detection Monitoring, TDM for short) monitors the safe distance between individual trains on the various railroad lines.
Other zentrak modules detect the reliable power supply (Signaling Power Monitoring, SPM for short) of the monitoring system as well as the signaling systems at level crossings (Rail Crossing Monitoring, RXM for short) and finally the condition of the tracks and rails (Track and Rail Monitoring, TRM for short), especially at bridge crossings.
Sensors continuously record vertical and lateral movements of the tracks, at rail breaks such as bridges, as well as temperature differences and transmit the recorded data to a server. The measured values obtained in this way provide valuable information on the reliability of track systems and thus enable efficient maintenance.
In addition to the detailed analysis of the rail network at the monitored points, a rough classification of the rolling stock, i.e. the trains, can also be carried out. If, for example, a very bad wheel runs over a monitored switch, the monitoring system can also recommend a specific check to the train operator.
Reliability, speed and comfort, including low noise and vibration, are of particular importance for modern passenger rail transport on urban and interurban routes. Reliability, ease of maintenance, speed and a high load capacity are also crucial for freight transportation. Ideally, the rolling stock is therefore also subjected to checks while the train is running, i.e. at speeds of up to 400 km/h, in order to initiate or plan safe journeys and selectively efficient maintenance.
The destination of the safe journey is always clear:
The management module (zentrak Fleet Condition Monitoring). It includes monitoring and alerting in the event of critical events, machine learning algorithms for proactively avoiding failures, reports and software administration. Numerous diagnostic options are then available to rail operators on an individual, optional and scalable basis.
zentrak Automatic Vehicle Identification uniquely identifies the individual train or train component for the check using radio frequency identification (RFID).
The zentrak derailment detection system reliably detects derailed wheels and can provide an early warning.
Acoustic sensors check the condition of the wheel bearings, both tapered roller bearings and cylindrical roller bearings, during operation at speeds of up to 160 km/h.
The zentrak profile validation system can use laser measurements to detect slipped loads or snagged branches that could damage passing trains or the rail infrastructure.
Temperature monitoring of axle bearings, wheel rims and brake discs of moving trains using infrared (Hot Box Detection, Hot Wheel Detection, Cold Wheel Detection and Sliding Wheel Detection) at speeds of up to 450 km/h protects against overheating of components and the resulting hazards.
The zentrak flat spot detection system continuously measures each wheel and, as a dynamic track scale, checks for imbalances or overloads at speeds of up to 450 km/h.
Impact detection (DED) monitors passing trains for dangling objects that could pose a hazard or damage the infrastructure.
Visual monitoring of trains and vehicle components provides valuable additional information for maintenance personnel, for example when a bolt needs to be tightened, a chain needs to be tightened or unauthorized graffiti needs to be removed.
And up-to-date environmental data can provide train drivers with advance information about strong crosswinds at bridges and open aisles, for example.
With the software „zentrak equipment and maintenance management“ software turns digital data into real values. Digital Track Management (DTM), which was developed in collaboration between Boom Software AG and our employees at voestalpine Railway Systems, proves its worth precisely at the interface between rolling stock or rail infrastructure and maintenance. It supports track operators, suppliers and service providers in efficiently planning maintenance processes with preventive alarms as well as location, component and image data, documenting them digitally and on the move, and optimizing the recorded life cycle of infrastructure facilities.
The often routine or, in the worst case, reactive maintenance work can be converted into more efficient individual maintenance with the appropriate data, evaluations and alarms. In other words: maintenance where it is necessary and preventive. Ideally, monitoring of the system components should start when they are in good condition and changes should be logged until maintenance of the infrastructure becomes necessary in the next three to six months. The operators then have enough lead time to plan and file the maintenance work with all legal regulations, especially regarding access to the track systems and resources such as personnel, spare parts or tools.
The journey has only just begun when it comes to modern rail systems worldwide that transport people and goods ecologically, safely, reliably and quickly. zentrak offers a 360° view of the past, present and future of both track systems and railroad rolling stock. zentrak makes the vision of a world real where maintenance is not just a reaction to problems, but well-informed, predictive management. zentrak is the redefinition of maintenance and performance optimization of railroad systems.
Monitoring and diagnostic systems for rail operations are essential in order to meet the current requirements of customers in passenger and freight rail transport. Increase availability and reduce costs: it`s possible with zentrak!
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