By Railfan & Railroad Staff
NORFOLK, Va. — A coalition of railroad companies that own nearly 20 percent of the North American freight car fleet are joining forces on a new platform that would use GPS and other telematics technology to give live updates on the location and condition of freight cars.
On Wednesday, Norfolk Southern, GATX Corporation, Genesee & Wyoming, TrinityRail, and Watco announced the joint ventured called “Rail Pulse” that they say will “transform rail shipping in the 21st century.” The effort is being funded in part by the Federal Railroad Administration thanks to a grant application by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
According to a press release, the initial version of the Rail Pulse program will allow railroads and car owners to get live information on hand brake and impact data. Later versions will include bearing temperature thermometers and wheel impact detection sensors, data that the backers say will increase safety. The program will also allow railroads to track the status, location, and condition of individual railcars, including letting owners know whether doors or hatches are open and whether the car is loaded or partially loaded.
The railroads involved state that the technology will benefit the entire industry. “The companies behind Rail Pulse are launching this venture for the benefit of the entire rail ecosystem: shippers, Class I railroads, short lines, regional railroads, switching carriers and railcar operating lessors,” the railroads state. “Rail Pulse intends to provide a neutral, open-architecture, industry-wide railcar telematics platform to make it easier to ship by rail and to track rail shipments across the North American rail network, all while ensuring the safety and security of proprietary car-owner data.”
Development will begin later this year, with a full-service platform available to the North American railcar industry by the end of 2022.
“Rail Pulse is another example of how the freight rail industry is using advanced technology to enhance safety and service to shippers,” said Jennie Granger, PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Multimodal Transportation. “PennDOT is proud of the strong partnership we have with the freight rail industry, and we look forward to this platform being implemented throughout the North American railcar fleet.”
