REED Track Circuit Remote Monitoring
Remote condition monitoring of REED Track Circuits enabled prompt detection of an intermittent fault and identification of root cause prior to attendance on site.
At a Glance
Remote condition monitoring of REED Track Circuits enabled prompt detection of an intermittent fault and identification of root cause prior to attendance on site.
This enabled a faster resolution on site reducing impact on services, reducing costs and improving engineer safety by decreasing their site time.
MPEC's VTi21 Sensor coupled to a TX unit allows monitoring of Reed Track Circuits (and most other types also) with real-time data being transmitted to the Mpec Centrix Platform.
The Challenges
Intermittent faults on track circuits are difficult to identify root cause of and can result in time-consuming attempts at resolutions and incorrect fixes being applied.
How our Products Helped
The REED Track Circuit suffered a failure of its own accord hence Showing Occupied When Clear (SOWC). The failure was not after the passage of a train.
The RCM trace on Centrix showed a full clear current was detected on the analogue channel monitoring incoming current from the track being monitoring by the VTi21 Sensor, however the digital monitoring of the Relay state via the TX logger revealed the Relay was dropping intermittently.
The positioning of the monitoring equipment meant that the fault could be traced to a specific element of the system, in this case the RX Amplifier, which was replaced on site. In particular the sensor enabled the exclusion of Feed End equipment and the physical track as the source of the fault.
This fix was verified as effective through the monitoring of new traces on the Centrix system which confirmed that the root cause had been correctly identified.
Results, Return on Investment, and Future Plans
Remote Condition Monitoring of REED Track Circuits enables engineers to identify and resolve intermittent faults before they impact on track performance.
Added value of enhanced safety of staff through reduced time trackside. Fewer and shorter visits to site means less time is spent by staff in dangerous working environments.
MPEC currently offer remote condition monitoring on the following track circuit types but are always working with engineers to introduce coverage of new asset types:
REED Track Circuits
HVI Track Circuits
VT1 / AC Vane Relay
EbiTrack 200 / 300 / 400
FS2600
UM71
Aster / TI21
DC Tracks
CVCM
