• Independence day: Arkansas and Missouri Railroad completes BNSF trackage transaction (3/26/2001)

9/6/2017

Fugro's rail infrastructure alignment acquisition platform

Fugro offers a rail infrastructure alignment acquisition (RILA) system designed to measure absolute track position and geometry with engineering-level accuracy.

Train-mounted RILA systems can quickly and efficiently measure track and rail corridors, avoiding disruption to rail services and removing the risks associated with working at trackside, company officials say.

A RILA system can connect to any passenger train and measure at line speeds up to 120 mph without the need to alter or affect a train’s normal operating performance. All equipment is installed in a transportable device that can be mounted to the automated coupler of a passenger train or to a set of buffers in a few minutes. Track profiles are collected using an integrated laser and imaging system that computes position and orientation from on-board GPS and inertial measurement systems.

As a RILA system passes over track, its laser vision system projects a laser beam over each rail and an integrated camera captures high-resolution images of the rail profile. The laser image of the rail head and rail foot provides high accuracy profiles and measurements that can be used to determine rail head and running edge wear, as well as wear of S&C components, Fugro officials say.

Visit Fugro at Booth #3580 at Railway Interchange 2017, which will be held Sept. 17-20 in Indianapolis.