NS deploys second DTI portal to improve safety

Norfolk Southern Railway has deployed its second digital train inspection portal (DTI) on its network in Jackson, Georgia, where about 19 trains pass through daily.

The portals are part of a larger initiative to improve rail safety across the railroad's 22-state network, NS officials said in a press release.

Each portal features machine vision inspection technology developed in partnership with the Georgia Tech Research Institute, which engineered the hardware, and NS' data science/artificial intelligence (AI) and mechanical teams, who built the brains behind the program, they said.

The DTI portals are equipped with an array of 24-megapixel trackside cameras and stadium lighting. Together, the machine vision inspection technology captures ultra-high-resolution, 360-degree images of passing rail cars. The cameras are synced to the sub-millisecond, taking 1,000 images per rail car on average as they pass through the tunnel at speeds up to 70 mph.

High-speed cameras are placed at angles to capture things that are difficult to detect with the human eye during stationary inspections. In addition, capturing images while the train is in a dynamic state provides an inspection for various defects that cannot be done while the train is stationary.

AI analyzes these images for potential defects. NS' in-house data science/AI team has developed about 40 advanced deep learning algorithms and already deployed them across heavily trafficked lanes. NS also plans to roll out an additional 20 algorithms by year's end, company officials said.

The AI transmits the information to the NS Network Operations Center, where the data is reviewed. Subject-matter experts then identify and address issues to proactively ensure the safety of rail operations. Critical defects found are flagged for immediate handling.