CPR installs "smart" sound technology for predicting wheel bearing failure
06 Dicembre 2004 - 2:01PM
PR Newswire (US)
CPR installs "smart" sound technology for predicting wheel bearing
failure Benefits: safer train operations, improved fluidity
CALGARY, Dec. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Canadian Pacific Railway
(TSX/NYSE: CP) has installed "smart" technology that can predict
failure in wheel bearings based on distinct sounds emitted by
distressed bearings. The new technology, which is capable of
reading the acoustic signatures of different defects, will
contribute to safer operations and greater fluidity in Canada's
busiest rail corridor. Installed at trackside about 75 km east of
Vancouver, it is the first of its kind in Canada and only the ninth
in the world. It uses acoustic monitoring devices and intelligent
analytical software to filter out background noise and identify the
subtlest bearing sounds that signal a defect. Defective bearings
emit warning sounds well before they begin to overheat, the final
stage leading to bearing failure. Currently, the most widely used
warning system - called a hot-box detector - is tripped by heat
emitted from a defective bearing as the train rolls by. But hot-box
detectors cannot measure a bearing's level of distress nor can they
generate the data needed to predict how long a defective bearing is
likely to last before failing and possibly causing a derailment.
Without this predictive ability, a train must be stopped and the
defective bearing inspected at every hot-box alarm. The new smart
technology, called Trackside Acoustic Detection System (TADS),
detects defects in their earliest stages - well before the risk of
bearing failure. These early warning sounds are analyzed to
determine how far a train with a defective bearing can safely
proceed. This predictive ability eliminates unnecessary and costly
train stoppages, leading to improved fluidity of rail operations
and higher productivity. "We are very excited about the promise
this smart technology holds for making rail operations safer and
for generating higher train productivity in Canada's busiest
freight corridor," Neal Foot, CPR's Senior Vice-President of
Operations, said. TADS was developed by the Transportation
Technology Center, Inc., a unit of the Association of American
Railroads. Researchers isolated the acoustic signatures of
different defects and programmed them into the detector. By reading
these signatures, TADS can identify multiple defects in a single
bearing and its data can be used to determine the severity of each
of the flaws. Researchers expect the database of acoustic
signatures will expand as use of the detector grows, further
improving the system's predictive ability. The TADS is located in
an area where CPR and CN share each other's track through a
directional running agreement. Under this agreement, CPR and CN run
westbound trains over the CN line and run eastbound trains over
CPR's line. In a quid pro quo arrangement, CN will use CPR's TADS
in return for CPR's use of a new CN image mapping device that takes
digital images of wheels in passing trains and analyzes their
condition. They will be located in the same area. "In the
marketplace, CPR and CN are intense competitors. But when it comes
to safety, we are ready to put down the competitive swords," Mr.
Foot said. The cost of purchasing and installing the unit is about
US$450,000. Canadian Pacific Railway is a transcontinental carrier
operating in Canada and the U.S. Its 14,000-mile rail network
serves the principal centres of Canada, from Montreal to Vancouver,
and the U.S. Northeast and Midwest regions. CPR feeds directly into
America's heartland from the East and West coasts. Alliances with
other carriers extend its market reach throughout the U.S. and into
Mexico. Canadian Pacific Logistics Solutions provides logistics and
supply chain expertise worldwide. For more information, visit CPR's
website at http://www.cpr.ca/. DATASOURCE: Canadian Pacific Railway
CONTACT: Media, Len Cocolicchio, Tel.: (403) 319-7591, Cell: (403)
650-2748, ; Investment Community, Paul Bell, Vice-President,
Investor Relations, Tel.: (403) 319-3591,
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