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9/17/2025
Norfolk Southern Railway's digital train inspection (DTI) portals received an honorable mention in Fast Company 2025 Innovation by Design Awards in the artificial intelligence design category.
Developed in partnership with Georgia Tech Research Institute, the portals use machine vision to inspect rail cars. Each portal is equipped with trackside cameras and stadium lighting to capture about 1,000 high resolution, 360-degree images of each rail car, NS officials said in an online post.
Over 75 in-house AI algorithms analyze those images for potential defects and transmit the results to the NS Network Operations Center in Atlanta, where rail experts review the data. This process helps detect issues early, reducing risk during operations. The portals also increase efficiency, as trains can be scanned at up to 70 miles per hour.
NS is the first railroad to appear on the Fast Company Innovation by Design Award list, NS officials said.
"DTI portals are a powerful example of how technology and human expertise come together to keep our network safe and reliable," said Anil Bhatt, NS executive vice president and chief information and digital officer.