Progressive Railroading's latest issue featured a spread about the newest solutions around onboarding monitoring systems and their ability to help various rail operations become more efficient and save money in their budget. From the author of the article Michael Popke:
"Onboard monitoring systems help increase system availability, reduce on-track equipment failures and save money through improved efficiency by collecting and transmitting remote, data-driven, and real-time operational intelligence. Advances in technology have fueled monitoring device innovation, which continues to evolve"
For Industrial Networks' part, we highlighted our new SwitchMaster solution, which accurately tracks cars immediately after performing switches using strategically placed stationary AEI readers. See below for the full "interview" expanding further on SwitchMaster's functionality:
1. In recent years, has Industrial Networks introduced any new onboard monitoring systems — or upgraded or enhanced existing systems? If so, please provide details.
Industrial Networks’ new SwitchMaster solution accurately tracks railcars immediately after performing switches by utilizing strategically placed stationary or tripod mount AEI systems combined with the INT300 series AEI tablet. This solution eliminates the need to manually collect and update new railcar location data in your yard after performing switches. Using the INet tablet and SwitchMaster application, operators simply select the Yard and Track to activate the associated AEI system and then complete the switch. Once confirmed and the car IDs have been populated in the tablet app, operators select Save to update back-end databases, accurately reflecting car locations. Moreover, the solution is flexible and scalable, and adding in new stationary systems due to increased efficiencies or expanded yards can easily be implemented.
2. What are railroads seeking from onboard monitoring systems right now? And how is Industrial Networks responding to those demands?
Many operations use complicated systems to conduct their switches; from complicated spreadsheets with a myriad of color-coded options to smudged switch lists written across whiteboards and spend a huge amount of time and manpower walking between tracks to record switching changes.
Industrial Networks aims to eliminate all manual entry-our hardware does the work for you. Simply by selecting the track and making the necessary moves within your yard, your switch list will reflect all changes made throughout the course, saving you time, money, and hassle.
To see the full article and each of the other featured onboarding systems, click here. If your operation is manually switching cars and creating switch lists and is interested in hearing more about the SwitchMaster solution, visit our software page or get in touch with us today!