Railway Wheel Temperature MeasurementSystem

Abstract

Beginning with an applied research about wheel failures, in order to reduce heavy haul trains derailments, a RAILWAY WHEEL TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM was developed aiming at surveying thermal profile of a railroad wheel during actual train operation. By analysing data from this thermal profile, critical points along the railroad were determined, with regard to high temperature and a static system to measure wheel temperature was installed at the trackside. This system monitors and records wheel temperatures of a train that is passing in front of it. The whole system . is based upon a microcomputer and temperature measurement is accomplished by using an infrared energy transducer. Operation is automatic and data collection is triggered by the train itself. Then, records of temperatures of each wheel are sent to the railroad operational center and car shops . Due to data analysis of these records, maintenance of locomotive and car brake system is changing from preventive to predictive and train Transactions on the Built Environment vol 6, © 1994 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509 374 Railway Design and Management One year ago the first prototype system was installed and nowadays, results such as: better reliability in the car brake system, handling improvement and reduction of derailments, have become reality. train train