Railway vehicles are fitted with Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) – small, light-weight sensor units – used to continuously produce accurate measurements of the railway track and vehicles. Either an internal mount or an external mount can be used to install the units.

The MoniRail system simultaneously collects data to monitor track geometry, ride comfort, train condition and performance. A data analytics software platform converts collected data from the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) into actionable condition information.

Monitoring the quality of the track from in-service trains in this way gives you a better understanding of the evolving condition of the assets, helping you to build up a clearer picture of the train and track conditions over time. This enables accurate prediction of potential problems and allows for early detection of railway track degradation. Preventative maintenance can therefore be implemented accordingly, and problems can be tackled promptly, before they escalate into causing a major fault or delay.

How does it work?

The on vehicle monitoring hardware collects data from the onboard IMU unit sensors. From there, the data is automatically processed using a mathematical-based model, providing accurate identification of track conditions and geo-spatial positioning.

This recorded data is transmitted to the cloud for analysis in near-real-time, providing live, up-to-date information that can be easily viewed on the online portal. MoniRail’s intelligent software algorithm interprets data from multiple sources, supplying reproduceable information to those who need it.  

As an integrable system, the sensors are non-intrusive and can be fitted during routine maintenance, whilst the accompanying software is cloud-based, easily scalable, and delivers automated information.

MoniRail’s bespoke in-service monitoring solution is continually evolving, driven by the organisation’s academic partnership and feedback loop from the BCRRE (Birmingham Centre for Rail Research and Education).

Why use MoniRail?

• Save money, time, and unnecessary maintenance by identifying and tending to problems sooner
• Optimise maintenance and improve network reliability
• Optimise track speeds and decrease wear through rough ride monitoring and increased capacity options
• Benefit from MoniRail’s 50 years of combined experience within the rail industry, centred around sound, 20+ years of world class research and analysis
• Enjoy better work planning by detecting problems early and implementing interventions ahead of time
• Deliver engineer appropriate data outputs which help prioritise maintenance
• Decrease boots on ballast and improve customer experience through automated data collection, processing and analysis

Find out more about MoniRail’s track and vehicle monitoring in this short video: