AAR touts freight-rail technologies at D.C. event

Two months after rail industry lobbyists descended upon Washington, D.C., for their annual Railroad Day on Capitol Hill, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) in May convened its first-ever RailxTech exhibition in the U.S. capital.

Held May 15 in the U.S. House of Representatives’ Rayburn House Office Building, the event featured Class Is’ demonstrations of cutting-edge technologies, including virtual reality glasses, drones and smart sensors. The RailxTech exhibition, which attracted more than 320 attendees, coincided with the sixth annual Infrastructure Week.

Our #VR simulators provide environmental controls such as weather conditions, time of day and length of trains so our crews are prepared for whatever lies ahead. #RailTech #PositiveTrainControl pic.twitter.com/v8fTU0TW9T

— CSX (@CSX) May 15, 2018

“From virtual reality to simulators and one-on-one conversations with the people delivering the future of freight rail, RailxTech showed how we put technology to work every day,” AAR officials said in a statement issued after the event.

The exhibitors included BNSF Railway Co., CN, CSX and Union Pacific Railroad. CSX representatives showcased the Class I’s locomotive simulator used to train engineers and conductors.

“Advancements like these help strengthen rail infrastructure and the economy,” CSX officials said in a tweet about their exhibit.

Meanwhile, BNSF representatives manned a booth to provide details on the railroad’s use of unmanned aerial vehicles, more commonly known as drones. The Class I is exploring the vehicles to augment its inspection protocols.

BNSF leaders believe drones are another way that emerging technologies can be deployed to boost safety.

— Daniel Niepow