Smart Rail Safety: Innovative Collision Mitigation for Class 1 Railroads

It's a journey to revolutionize rail safety.
Equipment collisions are a major problem facing railroads all across the world. Incidents can range from the relatively benign (two vehicles bumping) to extreme (loss of life); all of which negatively impact railroad operations and personnel. In an effort to minimize incidents, numerous collision avoidance systems, using different technologies, have been brought to market to provide advanced warnings to track workers and vehicle operators. To help mitigate collision incidents and better document those that do occur, a class 1 railroad in North America has begun utilizing the advanced collision avoidance system. This is an advanced, low-cost CAS system based around a fusion of multiple technologies (LiDAR, camera vision, radar, radio frequency (RF), and artificial intelligence (AI)). By using multiple sensors, system is able to work in all weather and lighting conditions with little to no degradation. The system can track and provide range to multiple objects simultaneously, provide configurable safety zone alerts, and log events with supporting evidence. By leveraging the system on its maintenance of way (MoW) gangs, the class 1 railroad is achieving a comprehensive, protective solution that maximizes human safety while safeguarding capital investments.

Key Values from this system:
Unmatched Safety & Risk Reduction – Prevents costly accidents, saves lives, and enhances worker safety through advanced detection, multi-event tracking, and intelligent alarm management.

Cutting-Edge Technology & Reliability – Utilizes multiple sensors, remote accessibility, rail track detection, and configurable alarm zones for precise, weather-resistant performance in real-world rail conditions.

Operational Efficiency & Cost Savings – Reduces maintenance costs, minimizes operational disruptions, and provides comprehensive data logging for post-incident analysis and continuous improvement.