GATX Rail Europe has responded to a call from the European Railway Agency (ERA) for wagon keepers to introduce greater safety measures on the railway beyond the visual kingpin checks on freight railcars. It has introduced a new solution to its portfolio that is based on telematics and sensors.
The new solution is essential for the prevention of railway accidents and greater safety in more extreme situations such as cold or stormy weather conditions. The GATX kingpin safety solution provides a two-contact sensor system that verifies that the hitch device is correctly locked and the kingpin is correctly positioned. The correct loading information is showcased on a display located on both sides of the vehicle as well as on any mobile device via Bluetooth connection.
Thus, the GATX kingpin safety solution provides a two-contact sensor system that verifies whether a hitch device is correctly locked and the kingpin positioned correctly. Information about proper loading is showcased on a display located on both sides of the railcar as well as virtually on any mobile device via Bluetooth connection.
The sensors save time because they can be paired with a mobile device to check the correct loading status of the wagon in real-time, not post-factum, avoiding the need for further corrections and delays. In addition, the data can be displayed on a web portal where customers can set up alerts when a wagon leaves a geographically defined area with a 'wrong' loading status.
“Already equipped with GPS sensors, a T3000e may carry two trailers at a time, thus exhibiting two hitches. Each hitch has a socket equipped with ATEX-certified sensors. Data is displayed on two displays per hitch on each side of the railcar, offering a more thorough overview. The sensor‘s readings are transferred to the hub-like GPS, allowing our clients to remain conveniently connected via Bluetooth. The solution can be easily adjusted or extended to individual needs and integrated with customer IT systems using the standard interface ITSS. In all, we provide a comprehensive, easily accessible solution that adds a layer of safety to the current railcar kingpin visual inspections,” said Hubert Gołębiewski, IT Manager for Digitalization & Innovation at GATX Rail Europe.
