Importance and applications of robotic and autonomous systems (RAS) in railway maintenance sector: a review

Maintenance, which is critical for safe, reliable, quality, and cost-effective service, plays a dominant role in the railway industry. Therefore, this paper examines the importance and applications of Robotic and Autonomous Systems (RAS) in railway maintenance. More than 70 research publications, which are either in practice or under investigation describing RAS developments in the railway maintenance, are analysed. It has been found that the majority of RAS developed are for rolling-stock maintenance, followed by railway track maintenance. Further, it has been found that there is growing interest and demand for robotics and autonomous systems in the railway maintenance sector, which is largely due to the increased competition, rapid expansion and ever-increasing expense

Improving the safety and efficiency of rail yard operations using robotics

textSignificant efforts have been expended by the railroad industry to make operations safer and more efficient through the intelligent use of sensor data. This work proposes to take the technology one step further to use this data for the control of physical systems designed to automate hazardous railroad operations, particularly those that require humans to interact with moving trains. To accomplish this, application specific requirements must be established to design self-contained machine vision and robotic solutions to eliminate the risks associated with existing manual operations. Present-day rail yard operations have been identified as good candidates to begin development. Manual uncoupling, in particular, of rolling stock in classification yards has been investigated. To automate this process, an intelligent robotic system must be able to detect, track, approach, contact, and manipulate constrained objects on equipment in motion. This work presents multiple prototypes capable of autonomously uncoupling full-scale freight cars using feedback from its surrounding environment. Geometric image processing algorithms and machine learning techniques were implemented to accurately identify cylindrical objects in point clouds generated in real-vi time. Unique methods fusing velocity and vision data were developed to synchronize a pair of moving rigid bodies in real-time. Multiple custom end-effectors with in-built compliance and fault tolerance were designed, fabricated, and tested for grasping and manipulating cylindrical objects. Finally, an event-driven robotic control application was developed to safely and reliably uncouple freight cars using data from 3D cameras, velocity sensors, force/torque transducers, and intelligent end-effector tooling. Experimental results in a lab setting confirm that modern robotic and sensing hardware can be used to reliably separate pairs of rolling stock up to two miles per hour. Additionally, subcomponents of the autonomous pin-pulling system (APPS) were designed to be modular to the point where they could be used to automate other hazardous, labor-intensive tasks found in U.S. classification yards. Overall, this work supports the deployment of autonomous robotic systems in semi-unstructured yard environments to increase the safety and efficiency of rail operations.Mechanical Engineerin

Investigating the Transnet foundry quality system

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Engineering: Industrial Date: 11 October 2016This research investigates Transnet‟s Foundry Quality System, focusing on the quality issues in the Foundry. This includes determining the total cost of quality for the business, investigating the impact of the specific defects on the productivity of the business. Two products were analysed namely, the top centre casting and the brake shoe holders. Root cause analysis was done on each stage of the Foundry process to understand the causes of defects. Data was collected and analysed and most of the defects that occur were found to be the result of poor quality management which consequently causes low productivity and low profits. Also identified was a lack of skilled personnel in specific areas in the Foundry. Furthermore data collection as part of the quality system in the Foundry is not effectively executed and this implies that performance cannot be fully measured. Non Compliance reports from customers were analysed and the total cost of quality was calculated to be R1 214 690.73 based on the data that was available. The impact of defects on productivity was also analysed for the financial year 2014/2015 and it was calculated to be 47% for the brake shoe holders. The target for the Foundry for the financial year was R4 048 799.30 for the actual productivity in sales amounted to R 1 915 510.60. For the top centre the estimated target for the financial year 2014/2015 was R6 271 500.00 and the actual productivity amounted to R3 305 250.00. Statistical process control charts were drawn and it was discovered that some of the machines owned by the business are not capable of producing to specification. Qualifound was identified as a framework to improve the Transnet foundry quality system. It is recommended that top management be educated in the concept of cost of quality and its impact on business profitability and that skilled quality coordinators be appointed to facilitate continuous quality maintenance.MT201

Research on the System Safety Management in Urban Railway

Nowadays, rail transport has become one of the most widely utilised forms of transport thanks to its high safety level, large capacity, and cost-effectiveness. With the railway network's continuous development, including urban rail transit, one of the major areas of increasing attention and demand is ensuring safety or risk management in operation long-term remains for the whole life cycle by scientific tools, management of railway operation (Martani 2017), specifically in developed and developing countries like Vietnam. The situation in Vietnam demonstrates that the national mainline railway network has been built and operated entirely in a single narrow gauge (1000mm) since the previous century, with very few updates of manual operating technology. This significantly highlights that up to now, the conventional technique for managing the safety operation in general, and collision in particular, of the current Vietnamese railway system, including its subsystems, is only accident statistics which is not a scientific-based tool as the others like risk identify and analyse methods, risk mitigation…, that are already available in many countries. Accident management of Vietnam Railways is limited and responsible for accident statistics analysis to avoid and minimise the harm caused by phenomena that occur only after an accident. Statistical analysis of train accident case studies in Vietnam railway demonstrates that, because hazards and failures that could result in serious system occurrences (accidents and incidents) have not been identified, recorded, and evaluated to conduct safety-driven risk analysis using a well-suited assessment methodology, risk prevention and control cannot be achieved. Not only is it hard to forecast and avoid events, but it may also raise the chance and amount of danger, as well as the severity of the later effects. As a result, Vietnam's railway system has a high number of accidents and failure rates. For example, Vietnam Rail-ways' mainline network accounted for approximately 200 railway accidents in 2018, a 3% increase over the previous year, including 163 collisions between trains and road vehicles/persons, resulting in more than 100 fatalities and more than 150 casualties; 16 accidents, including almost derailments, the signal passed at danger… without fatality or casual-ty, but significant damage to rolling stock and track infrastructure (VR 2021). Focusing and developing a new standardised framework for safety management and availability of railway operation in Vietnam is required in view of the rapid development of rail urban transport in the country in recent years (VmoT 2016; VmoT 2018). UMRT Line HN2A in southwest Hanoi is the country's first elevated light rail transit line, which was completed and officially put into revenue service in November 2021. This greatly highlights that up to the current date, the UMRT Line HN2A is the first and only railway line in Vietnam with operational safety assessment launched for the first time and long-term remains for the whole life cycle. The fact that the UMRT Hanoi has a large capacity, more complicated rolling stock and infrastructure equipment, as well as a modern communica-tion-based train control (CBTC) signalling system and automatic train driving without the need for operator intervention (Lindqvist 2006), are all advantages. Developing a compatible and integrated safety management system (SMS) for adaption to the safety operating requirements of this UMRT is an important major point of concern, and this should be proven. In actuality, the system acceptance and safety certification phase for Metro Line HN2A prolonged up to 2.5 years owing to the identification of difficulties with noncompliance to safety requirements resulting from inadequate SMS documents and risk assessment. These faults and hazards have developed during the manufacturing and execution of the project; it is impossible to go back in time to correct them, and it is also impossible to ignore the project without assuming responsibility for its management. At the time of completion, the HN2A metro line will have required an expenditure of up to $868 million, thus it is vital to create measures to prevent system failure and assure passenger safety. This dissertation has reviewed the methods to solve the aforementioned challenges and presented a solution blueprint to attain the European standard level of system safety in three-phase as in the following: • Phase 1: applicable for lines that are currently in operation, such as Metro Line HN2A. Focused on operational and maintenance procedures, as well as a training plan for railway personnel, in order to enhance human performance. Complete and update the risk assessment framework for Metro Line HN2A. The dissertation's findings are described in these applications. • Phase 2: applicable for lines that are currently in construction and manufacturing, such as Metro Line HN3, Line HN2, HCMC Line 1 and Line 2. Continue refining and enhancing engineering management methods introduced during Phase 1. On the basis of the risk assessment by manufacturers (Line HN3, HCMC Line 2 with European manufacturers) and the risk assessment framework described in Chapter 4, a risk management plan for each line will be developed. Building Accident database for risk assessment research and development. • Phase 3: applicable for lines that are currently in planning. Enhance safety requirements and life-cycle management. Building a proactive Safety Culture step by step for the railway industry. This material is implemented gradually throughout all three phases, beginning with the creation of the concept and concluding with an improvement in the attitude of railway personnel on the HN2A line. In addition to this overview, Chapters 4 through Chapter 9 of the dissertation include particular solutions for Risk assessment, Vehicle and Infrastructure Maintenance methods, Inci-dent Management procedures, and Safety Culture installation. This document focuses on constructing a system safety concept for railway personnel, providing stringent and scientific management practises to assure proper engineering conditions, to manage effectively the metro line system, and ensuring passenger safety in Hanoi's metro operatio

Measuring vibration damping level on conventional rail track structures

U radu se ocjenjuje stupanj prigušenja vibracija na kolosijecima, jednog od ključnih svojstava pri određivanju utjecaja kolosijeka u ukupnim razinama buke i vibracija od prometovanja tračničkih vozila. Prikazan je i detaljan pregled znanstvenih istraživanja na temu dinamičkih svojstava kolosijeka, a navedene metode uspoređene su na dvije ispitne lokacije. Nadalje, u analizi rezultata mjerenja razmatra se metoda obrade podataka, različite pozicije akcelerometara i različiti tipovi modalnih čekića kao izvora pobude. Rezultati dobiveni različitim analizama međusobno su uspoređeni u svrhu što preciznijeg određivanja stupnja prigušenja vibracija.The rail-track vibration damping level, as one of key properties for determining proportion of rail track influence in the total rail traffic noise and vibration levels, is estimated in the paper. A detailed overview of research conducted so far on dynamic properties of rail tracks is given, and the methods presented are compared on two test sections. The data processing method, various accelerometer positons, and various types of modal hammers as excitation sources, are also considered in the analysis of measurement results. The results obtained by various analyses are compared to each other so as to increase accuracy in the determination of the vibration damping level

Great East Japan Earthquake, JR East Mitigation Successes, and Lessons for California High-Speed Rail, MTI Report 12-37

California and Japan both experience frequent seismic activity, which is often damaging to infrastructure. Seismologists have developed systems for detecting and analyzing earthquakes in real-time. JR East has developed systems to mitigate the damage to their facilities and personnel, including an early earthquake detection system, retrofitting of existing facilities for seismic safety, development of more seismically resistant designs for new facilities, and earthquake response training and exercises for staff members. These systems demonstrated their value in the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 and have been further developed based on that experience. Researchers in California are developing an earthquake early warning system for the state, and the private sector has seismic sensors in place. These technologies could contribute to the safety of the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s developing system, which could emulate the best practices demonstrated in Japan in the construction of the Los Angeles-to-San Jose segment

The Shinkansen High-Speed Rail Network of Japan; Proceedings of an IIASA Conference, June 27-30, 1977

The Shinkansen is the peak of railway technology. It travels the 550 km between Tokyo and Osaka 275 times every day at a speed of 210 km/hr. Such a revolution in transportation technology requires very special organization and is bound to have unexpected socioeconomic effects. The Shinkansen has had a large effect on migration patterns in Japan because it has drastically reduced the time it takes to travel from city to city. It has also affected the lives of people who may never use it. Stores in small communities can now offer produce that was too hard for them to obtain before the Shinkansen was built. But travel at high speed creates a great deal of noise, and special care must be taken to keep the tracks clear; at 210 km/hr, a train needs 3 km to stop in an emergency. The IIASA study of the Shinkansen began with this conference. Officials from the Japanese National Railways were invited to describe the development of the Shinkansen, scientists who had studied its effects presented their findings, and members of the IIASA research team outlined the approach that they would use in their study of the Shinkansen. Their papers are collected in this book. After an introductory section describing the history and outlining the plans for the Shinkansen, Sections 2 and 3 deal with the socioeconomic and environmental effects. Section 4 describes the influence the Shinkansen has had on national development. The last two sections deal with the organization of the Shinkansen itself. Section 5 describes the planning and administration of the Shinkansen by the Japanese National Railways, and Section 6 covers the physical requirements of high-speed train operation: the maintenance network and maintenance schedule, vehicle design, accident prevention, the seat reservation system, and other aspects of running a high-speed railroad from day to day