A Different Approach to Utilizing Rail Data

Condition data of rail assets already exists but often is not fully utilized or not utilized at all. Trimble rail solutions enable a different approach to utilizing rail data.

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Every rail operation has specific fault modes, safety, mechanical, and operational challenges and opportunities. Many of these can be positively impacted through the digitization of rolling stock condition to measure and optimize operations.

The Trimble® Nexala software solutions and toolsets maximize the value of train and locomotive condition and operational data. By combining feeds from multiple data sources, off boarding it in real time, and enriching it with landside enterprise data, Trimble Nexala solutions turn rail data into information that can be utilized to improve operational efficiency.

Turning On-Board Data Into Actionable Information
Using digitized condition and operational data, Trimble Nexala software’s rules engines, analysis and processing tools, generates information and business insights that drive real and sustainable change in a railways’ operational and asset performance.

The value of the Nexala solutions comes from the ability to analyze and understand how trains are operating and being operated by collecting and monitoring the data that defines the condition of trains, rolling stock, and major components.

This provides an ability to both predict when faults may occur, when condemning limits or other condition thresholds will be reached, and the ability to plan and execute maintenance interventions based on condition.

The operational data also allows service performance to be analyzed, better understood, and optimized through highlighting the causal factors of delays and of high fuel or energy consumption. This data can also be used to identify and manage train handling behaviors that may cause mechanical issues or generate high in-train forces.

From a safety perspective the operational data describes how the train is being operated in real time and this data can be used to identify if safety related rules and methodologies are being breached or unsafe practices are being evidenced.

Broader Approach
Trimble’s approach welcomes the broader use of rail data collected in Trimble Nexala R2M software for the purpose of data analytics. R2M provides the tools to build and manage the “rules” that generate the alarms, warnings, events, and insights that will enable data driven change in how rail companies operate, and R2M also allows for the use of data feeds from other existing business systems to deliver additional value.

The R2M rules engine processes data and raises events in the form of configurable warnings, faults, alarms and alerts to identify potential in-service failures or any other event that can be derived from the data. Using a rules editor, mechanical, engineering and operational staff can customize and define the business rules required to raise these events, alarms, warnings and alerts.

The operational information can be used by the operational teams in the same manner using the same tools and rules engine.

Real-Time Model
Trimble Nexala software solutions help to manage and leverage the data continuously produced as trains and locomotives are operating to build a model of operation and condition in real time.

This model describes how trains are operating in regards to speed, braking, in-train forces, location, throttle, and fuel or energy consumption. This data can be used to monitor and develop optimized driving methodologies that consider schedule, safety, fuel, and energy efficiency. The model can also be used to measure and manage the performance of each service and driver on particular routes.
Understanding where trains and rolling stock are and what they are doing allows capital intensive assets to be better monitored and managed. Under-utilized assets can be quickly identified and managed.

Also, understanding the location, speed and schedule for a service in real time allows delays, and reasons for delays, to be predicted and managed. Schedules can be optimized and improved improving service levels and customer satisfaction.

Maximize Data Utilization

Utilizing rail condition data within the Trimble Nexala solutions supported real-time model rail operators can:

• Improve safety related insights outcomes, performance, and compliance.
• Predict and manage the faults that cause disruption and delays.
• Optimize shop maintenance events (reduce frequency, scope, costs & shunting).
• Optimize rail asset lifecycle and reduce the costs of major components (by allowing to run to full life with full understanding of condition).
• Reduce the labor required by integrating Trimble vision-based wayside inspection data to help identify potential defects (allowing maintenance teams to become fixers rather than finders).
• Make trains more reliable and rolling stock more available.
• Make maintenance more predictable and change the balance to more scheduled and less unscheduled.
• By utilizing the data analytics capabilities of the Trimble Nexala rail asset lifecycle solution range, operators can rapidly identify and home in on the causes of failure, minimizing time to repair and improving their maintenance work practices. By pulling together data streams from multiple subsystems, components, and sensors Trimble solutions can provide significant insight into the causes of failure events.

Learn more at rail.trimble.com.

APAC – Contact Chris Prebble, the Trimble Rail solutions APAC Regional Leader at Chris_Prebble@trimble.com for further information.

EMEA – Contact Daragh Lowry, the Trimble Rail solutions EMEA Sales Director at Daragh_Lowry@trimble.com for further information.

AMERICAS – Contact Tim Francis, the Trimble Rail solutions Americas Sales Director at Tim_Francis@trimble.com for further information.