Technology tested in Hong Kong proves effective at monitoring commuter rail lines and detecting dangerous conditions
A string of fiber-optic sensors running along a 36-km stretch of high-speed commuter railroad lines connecting Hong Kong to mainland China has taken more than 10 million measurements over the past few years in a demonstration that the system can help safeguard commuter trains and freight cars against accidents. Attuned to the contact between trains and tracks, the sensors can detect potential problems like excessive vibrations, mechanical defects or speed and temperature anomalies. The system is wired to warn train operators immediately of such problems so that they can avoid derailments or other accidents, said Hwa-yaw Tam of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, who will describe the technology and its test run next week at The Optical Society’s (OSA) Annual Meeting, Frontiers in Optics (FiO) 2013, being held Oct. 6-10 in Orlando, Fla.
At least 30 times during the seven-year period, the system detected anomalous vibrations, Tam said. In a few cases, the vibrations turned out to be early warnings of dangerous emerging conditions that could have led to train wrecks. In some cases, vibration due to the use of the wrong type of lubrication oil in axle boxes was detected. The fiber-optic sensor system was designed for maintenance purposes and saves the rail company about $250,000 every year in maintenance costs.
“Using just this one type of technology, we are able to measure many things,” Tam said. “This technology is perfect for railway systems.” He added that it costs less than a third the price of other warning systems, which typically require data to be integrated from a half dozen different types of monitoring systems.
The system is now being installed in all commuter train routes in Hong Kong and will soon be rolled out in railways in parts of Singapore and Australia. With regular speeds for some of the trains in China topping out above 300 km per hour, the need for effective safety measures is profound, Tam said.
Worldwide, the rail industry is undergoing a major development boom, especially in places like China where tens of thousands of kilometers of new high-speed lines are planned for the next decade at an estimated cost of hundreds of billions of dollars.
How the System Works
The basis for the new sensor system is a technology developed in the 70s and 80s known as a Fiber Bragg grating, a type of sensor that reflects narrow spectra of light whose wavelengths shift due to temperature/strain variation. Coupling fiber Bragg gratings with another device known as mechanical transducers allows pressure, acceleration and other parameters to be measured.
The sensors are imbedded in mechanical compartments of a train or along the tracks. If there is a defect, like a sudden break in the rails or excessive vibrations because the weight of the train is off balance, those changes will alter the reflection spectra of FBGs in a detectable way.
The system is advantageous because it is all-optical, allowing the passive fiber Bragg grating sensors to monitor conditions along a train route, Tam said. It also relies exclusively on optical detection and communication, so there are no problems with electromagnetic interference from power lines that run parallel to many modern rail lines.
The Latest Bing News on:
Railway safety
- ND Game and Fish set up safety zone around BNSF rail bridge projecton April 23, 2024 at 4:14 pm
The safety zone is marked by lighted buoys off the river’s west bank. There is a designated channel for boaters on the east side of the river.
- Rail safety advocate shares insight as questions linger over downtown London, Ont. freight train fireon April 23, 2024 at 2:18 pm
Two days after a freight train with several cars engulfed by flames rolled through the heart of London, a rail safety advocate is speaking out about how changes should be expected.
- Munich-based rail supplier buys Alstom’s North American signalson April 23, 2024 at 10:29 am
G erman locomotive and rail supply firm Knorr-Bremse has acquired Alstom Signaling North America, including its conventional signalling division. The move is Knorr-Bremse’s first into the control, ...
- Lookout Mountain Incline Railway to reopen April 24thon April 23, 2024 at 10:13 am
A beloved Lookout Mountain site will be back open for business Wednesday. The incline railway was recently closed for repairs.
- Sensonic Eyes Up Next Level Railway Securityon April 23, 2024 at 7:48 am
Sensonic has announced the addition of CCTV functionality to its groundbreaking Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) security system.
- Railway Bearing Market Set for 9.00% CAGR Surge to Reach US$ 3.12 Billion by 2033on April 22, 2024 at 11:24 pm
The railway bearing market may grow at a CAGR of 9.00% from 2023 to 2033, from a value of US$ 1.32 billion in 2023 to US$ 3.12 Billion by 2033. Governmental Authorities Have Made Substantial ...
- Editorial: Rail safety rule is no substitute for congressional actionon April 22, 2024 at 10:30 pm
The environmental disaster caused by a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, last year should have spurred federal lawmakers to take seriously the need to improve rail safety. But a measure passed ...
- East Palestine was a disaster. Inaction on railroad safety since then is dangerous | Opinionon April 22, 2024 at 1:37 pm
Opinion: Bills aimed at addressing railroad safety in the aftermath of the East Palestine derailment have been stuck in a congressional quagmire.
- Transmission Dynamics Drive Railway Innovation with RADAR Projecton April 22, 2024 at 4:28 am
Transmission Dynamics Are Continuing to Drive Railway Innovation with Their RADAR Project. The rail industry is heading towards a new era of efficient asset and infrastructure man ...
- Opinion: Colorado lawmakers have chance to gain momentum for greater railway safety across the countryon April 17, 2024 at 12:30 am
Facing pushback from the powerful train industry, Colorado’s House Bill 1030 could help fast track commonsense safety measures.
The Latest Google Headlines on:
Railway safety
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Railway safety” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
The Latest Bing News on:
Railway sensors
- Virginian-Pilot: Biden administration rule is no substitute for congressional actionon April 22, 2024 at 6:15 pm
A Biden administration rule approved this month will require two-person crews on freight trains. That’s a good start, but it’s a poor substitute for comprehensive action by Congress that would ensure ...
- Revolutionizing Transportation: Smart Railways Market to Surge from $106.7B in 2023 to $805.34B by 2033on April 22, 2024 at 6:38 am
Latest Update of the Smart Railways Market is expected to reach 805.34 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 22.4% during the forecast period 2023 to 2033 ...
- Microelectromechanical System (MEMS) Sensor Market Businesses Embrace Segmentation Synergy for Smarter Market Targetingon April 21, 2024 at 8:30 pm
Request To Download Free Sample of This Strategic Report @ Microelectromechanical System (MEMS) Sensor Market was valued at $25.7 million in 2018, and is projected to reach $60.6 million by 2026, ...
- Indian Railways Will Use IoT, Tech To Solve The Stinking Toilet Problem In Trainson April 21, 2024 at 1:24 pm
Indian Railways are plagued with issues like unclean and unsanitary train toilets. To resolve this, one of the largest railway network is exploring the application of Internet of Things (IoT) ...
- Drivers warned after nine rail bridge, beam strikes in 48 hourson April 17, 2024 at 12:03 pm
Queensland Rail has released CCTV footage of a spade of trucks slamming into rail bridges and protection beams across South East Queensland, and urged drives to “watch where they’re going”.
- Rail Vision score major US order advancing railway safety using its AI technologyon April 17, 2024 at 11:34 am
Rail Vision CEO Shahar Hania joined Steve Darling from Proactive to share exciting news about the company securing an order for its innovative AI-powered Switch Yard System from a Class 1 freight ...
- Scotland’s Railway gets climate readyon April 17, 2024 at 4:55 am
Scotland’s Railway has today (Wednesday, April 17) published its Climate Ready Plan which sets out how the nation’s railways will respond to the challenges of our changing climate over the next five ...
- Indian Railways using technology to solve foul-smelling and unclean toilets inside trainson April 15, 2024 at 1:19 am
Indian Railways tackles foul odors in train toilets with IoT tech. Viliso Technologies leads the initiative for enhanced sanitation and passenger satisfaction.
- Indian Railways To Enhance Toilet Cleanliness With IoT Technologyon April 14, 2024 at 9:36 pm
Indian Railways partners with Viliso Technologies for an IoT-based project to combat the issue of unclean train toilets, aiming for enhanced passenger experience.
- SoCal Commuter Rail System Gets $1.3M for AI-Powered Securityon April 12, 2024 at 12:53 pm
The Metrolink network, which connects six Southern California counties, has received $1.3 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Its mission: to develop security with artificial ...
The Latest Google Headlines on:
Railway sensors
[google_news title=”” keyword=”railway sensors” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]