Zee Media Bureau/Ajith Vijay Kumar
New Delhi: The Indian Railways is all set to install a new technology which will allow the detection of faults in rail passenger coaches, wagons and locomotives while on run.
As per a press release issued by the ministry of railways, the modern technology will greatly enhance safety in railway operations.
The new maintenance technique, based on the acoustic method of diagnostics, is known as Acoustic Bearing Detectors (ABD) & Wheel Impact Load Detectors (WILD) – when used in combination together they are known as Online Monitoring of Rolling Stock (OMRS) systems.
The system works by way of recording the noise and forces generated by coaches, wagons and locomotives in motion. An array of microphones and sensors are employed to detect the same.
The sensitive equipment will pick up any abnormal noise or change in force thereby indicating that the specific sub-component is not behaving normally. What makes the system more potent is that the data can be monitored remotely.
In the current method, it is near impossible to detect such defects as the rolling stock is checked at the maintenance depots when are stationary. And by the time the defects are detected the fault generally requires a complete overhaul which leads to larger turnaround time.
The new system will ensure that the maintenance time remains minimal, thereby ensuring availability of high number of wagons/coaches etc. for operation.
As a pilot project, the system was installed near Bakkas in Lucknow division of Northern Railway. The system has successfully detected a number of wheel bearing faults.
WILD have been installed in 15 locations across the country in the initial phase and these have also detected faulty vehicles that have caused higher than normal impact force on the rails. These 15 locations are: Ajni, Asansol, Mughal Sarai-I, Mughal Sarai – II, Barwadih, Vishakhapatnam, Arakkonam, Gunakal, Mahalimarup, Dongargarh, Bhilai, Hospet, Bina, Itarsi and New Katni.
