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9/15/2015

Railserve: Observe/Analyze/Respond™

Locomotive troubleshooting and repair times have been significantly reduced since Railserve rolled out the Observe/Analyze/Respond™ (OAR) technology for its LEAF Gen-Set® locomotives last year, company officials said. The OAR data-logger provides real-time, mission-critical performance data to improve safety and operating efficiency. This fall, an enhanced data dashboard will be introduced with more user-friendly graphics, Railserve officials said.

Provided by Alternative Motive Power Systems (AMPS), OAR enables multiple users to track a range of operating data from remote locations. The technology processes data from the AMPS locomotive control electronics on-board each Railserve LEAF. The data then is transmitted via Wi-Fi or cellular systems to a Web-based dashboard for locomotive status and performance monitoring by on-site plant managers or operations personnel at remote locations.

Because OAR data is immediately available, troubleshooting time and costs are reduced, and necessary repairs can be quickly accomplished, Railserve officials said.

Data that is continuously compiled and protected in cloud storage includes track speed, which is monitored for violations; man-down alerts; hard couplings; throttle positions and forward/reverse settings; penalty applications; and remote-control digital tracking. Additional OAR data can be used to improve switching productivity, reduce wheel slip and excessive idling, and provide low-temperature monitoring in cold weather, Railserve officials said.

The on-board electronic control system communicates with all technology on the Railserve LEAF, including power generators, engine(s), traction control, throttle, reverser and the three-axis accelerometer. Data fed to OAR can be displayed in various forms, including plots, charts, red/green indicators and histograms.