advertisement

---

RFTrax recently introduced the next-generation Asset Management Platform™ (AMP) for Locomotives, an asset-tracking system designed to help railroads boost productivity, improve asset management and reduce fuel costs.

AMP features an onboard Asset Command Unit™ (ACU) with multiple sensors, a backend database application hosted by RFTrax, Global Positioning System-enabled location tracking, and a secure Web portal to view and interact with locomotive information.

The system enables railroads to access wireless, real-time data on a locomotive’s geographical location and idling time. AMP also generates automated alerts on various conditions, such as man-down or low temperature, said RFTrax, which markets asset-tracking systems for locomotives and rail cars.

The 139-mile Arkansas and Missouri Railroad Co. (A&M) has been using AMP the past few months to monitor 15 locomotives, including three remote-controlled units. So far, the short line has noted reduced fuel costs and car billing charges, and improved crew safety, said A&M Chief Mechanical Officer Casey Shepherd in a prepared statement.

“By remotely tracking the temperature of the locomotives, we can avoid extensive idling to stay warm — and that saves up to five gallons of diesel per hour per unit,” he said. “The system alerts us to start the engine if the temperature drops.”