ENSCO Rail Launches Predictive Rail Temperature System at RSSI 2018
ENSCO Rail has announced the launch of its newest rail safety product, the Predictive Rail Temperature System. The product will debut at the 58th Annual RSSI C&S Exhibition, May 21-24 in Omaha, Nebraska.
The Predictive Rail Temperature System effectively manages and reduces the risks associated with track buckling derailments, which are a major challenge to the U.S. rail network. Current methods involve issuing blanket slow orders when daily ambient temperatures reach a certain level, which can cost railways millions of dollars and create congestion.
The system replaces blanket slow orders with fewer, targeted heat slow orders and heat inspections. It uses the National Weather Service data as weather forecast inputs with additional weather and material parameters, including:
- Intensity of solar radiation
- Solar angle
- Wind speed
- Sky temperature
- Heat absorptivity and emissivity of rail
“We are excited about the launch of this new product, which will have a significant positive impact on rail safety,” stated Jeff Stevens, vice president of ENSCO Rail. “By allowing for advance heat slow orders in an accurate, effective and targeted way, the Predictive Rail Temperature System will minimize the impact on railroad operations while decreasing the risk of track buckling derailments.”
Cost and operational benefits associated with the Rail Temperature Predication Model include improved accuracy and more targeted heat slow orders that can result in significant cost savings, increased overall train velocity, and fewer required resources.
