Active control parameters monitoring for freight trains, using wireless sensor network platform and internet of things

Abstract

Operating in a dynamic and competitive global market, railway companies have realized many years ago that better management of their logistical operations will enhance their strategic positions on the market. The financial component of daily operations is of utmost importance these days and many companies concluded that maximizing the profit relies on the integration of logistical activities with better income management. This paper presents a system consisting of three components: Ferodata BOX, Ferodata MOBILE, and Ferodata SYS, used to transmit to a web-server the status and operating information of an electric or diesel train. Train information includes data from locomotives, wagons, train driver, route, direction, fuel or electric consumption, speed, etc. All this information is processed in real-time and can be viewed in the web-server application. Additionally, the web-server application could manage and report details that are coming from the wagons, such as valuable information regarding the bogie wear, the identification of the wagons attached to a gasket, and identification the situations in which a wagon or group of wagons comes offthe gasket configuration. All information about the status of trains is available on-line and at any moment the person responsible for management can use these data in their work.