How does Trakblaze solve the problem of increasing the accuracy and reliability of train weighing in motion?

Non-uniform axle loads can cause damage to the infrastructure and raise the danger of derailment; therefore, weighing in motion is critical. Real-time axle load assessments of railroads are essential to safeguard railroads, organise track maintenance activities, and ensure train safety. Weighing devices are used to measure the static loads imposed by trains, and Trakblaze suggests a unique approach to applying weigh-in-motion solutions. Ideas for the development of WIM systems capable of determining the train’s weight in motion are included in the suggested technique.

Controlling axles and truckloads, as well as identifying wheel faults and foretelling derailment, are critical aspects of Train WIM’s mission. Rails, sleepers, and ballast are all damaged when heavy loads are present on the track. This impacts how often the track must be maintained. WIM systems are critical for freight waggons carrying either too heavy or imbalanced loads. With regards to train weigh-in-motion, Trakblaze uses either direct measurement of wheel-to-rail forces or indirect rail measurements of vehicle forces to get its estimates of dynamic train loads. The following are some such strategies:

To measure dynamic stresses on the train, sensors can be mounted directly on the wheels, axles or bougies. Onboard monitoring systems include most of these gadgets. Using electrical strain gauges, it is simple to determine the weight of a train’s axles. A method for identifying forces is employed using a transfer function between dynamic reactions recorded on specific vehicle components such as bougies and vertical contact forces between wheel and rail.

The second technique uses readings from wayside monitoring systems, which measure the dynamic track reaction. WIM on the railway and bridge weigh-in-motion are examples of this indirect approach. This method makes use of a single length of rail track or bridge to estimate the combined weight uploaded on the trains. A methodology is devised to determine the vehicle’s wheel and axle loads at greater speeds. Using the vertical pressures on the sleepers as input, the algorithm is able to estimate the weight of the train.

When using Trakblaze’s WIM systems, electrical strain gauges are used to assess applied loads on the rails and provide signals that are directly proportionate to the strains on the rails. Strain gauges are often located in the rail’s neutral axis and are designed to boost the signal-to-noise ratio through amplification of very low measured stresses. Strain gauges can also be used to measure shear forces and bending moments, which are directly related to the load delivered to the track.

If you are looking forward to fantastic reliability on the weigh-in-motion solution for trains, reach out to Trakblaze today and learn more about the appropriate weighbridge scales for your purchase.