Tetra Tech’s RailWEB™ system is a data collection subsystem of RailAI® that collects images of rail field and gauge faces for precise, real-time location, inventory, and condition assessment of rail features and joints. Defect alerts based on customer business rules are issued in real time. These data and associated alerts are provided to clients as a service as part of Tetra Tech’s RailWEB railroad assessment services.
At a Glance
Rail manufacturer stamp inventory
Weld inventory
Joint inventory and assessment
Rail Defects
With an accuracy of .01 inch (in) vertical, .02 in transverse, and .12 in longitudinal, the RailAI high-performance processing servers provide autonomous real time interpretation and reporting of the rail web data collected.
As features of interest are identified, the RailWEB system sends messages and events (defects per client business rules) to the telemetry system queue for prioritization and transmission to our clients’ back office. Real-time results are accurately geospatially referenced and archived onto the onboard network-attached storage.
The RailWEB System Provides the Following Measurements and Benefits
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Railhead Defects and Rail Profile Assessment
RailWEB integrates with Tetra Tech’s 3DTAS to evaluate rail profile and railhead defects. With an elevation measurement resolution of 0.02 in., these defects include crushed heads, corrugation, battered joints, and rail face (field and gauge) deformation and wear.
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Joint Assessment and Inventory
The oblique-angle field and gauge RailWEB inventory and assessment system provides high‑accuracy rail profile measurements. These measurements detect, inventory, and assess joint bars, including the presence of bolts, nuts, cracks, breaks, bond wires, and nearby tie fasteners.
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Rail Inventory
The RailWEB system provides machine reading and inventory of rail manufacturer markings on the rail webs. This allows every rail segment in a network to be inventoried by manufacturer, date, size, and so forth. Additionally, RailWEB precisely locates welds, and iterative runs identify the precise locations of rail repairs and replacements.