From February to April 2014, Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) performed research and testing on a broken rim detector concept by Diesel Intellect International (DII). The detector uses proximity sensors to detect the presence of rim material overhanging the field side of the rail. The concept was tested with both ultrasonic and magnetic sensors. Initial feasibility was carried out using ultrasonic sensors, but it was unsuitable for the railroad environment. The device with magnetic sensors did not reliably detect a 0.75-inch deep by 4-inch long gouge on the corner of the wheel rim. The wheel position influenced by hunting and tread wear causes greater deviation in the signal than the calibration notch. The device configuration using magnetic sensors is unsuitable for broken rim detection.
In 2013, Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) performed testing on the gage widened special trackwork segment designed for the ultrasonic aut...
The Federal Railroad Administration sponsored a team from Transportation Technology Center, Inc. to conduct two investigations to improve the safety o...
Links with this icon indicate that you are leaving a Bureau of Transportation
Statistics (BTS)/National Transportation Library (NTL)
Web-based service.
Thank you for visiting.
You are about to access a non-government link outside of
the U.S. Department of Transportation's National
Transportation Library.
Please note: While links to Web sites outside of DOT are
offered for your convenience, when you exit DOT Web sites,
Federal privacy policy and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation
Act (accessibility requirements) no longer apply. In
addition, DOT does not attest to the accuracy, relevance,
timeliness or completeness of information provided by linked
sites. Linking to a Web site does not constitute an
endorsement by DOT of the sponsors of the site or the
products presented on the site. For more information, please
view DOT's Web site linking policy.
To get back to the page you were previously viewing, click
your Cancel button.
United States Department of Transportation
[PDF-2.19 MB]
