A system and method for monitoring a track and/or rail employs one or more imagers mounted to a railcar and directed to image the track and/or rails wherein the images are geo-tagged with location data. Geo-tagged images are processed to determine at least track gauge and/or at least rail fastener integrity. The system and method may also determine other track and/or rail integrity issues including, e.g., rail fastener integrity, rail profile, rail alignment, center point dip, cross level, rail cant, wheel wear, wheel integrity, rail wear, rail defects, and/or rail temperature. The system and method may also determine when inspection and/or maintenance of the track is indicated, and provide selected records of where and/or when such inspection and/or maintenance is indicated.

A system and method for monitoring a track and/or rail employs one or more imagers mounted to a railcar and directed to image the track and/or rails wherein the images are geo-tagged with location data. Geo-tagged images are processed to determine at least track gauge and/or at least rail fastener integrity. The system and method may also determine other track and/or rail integrity issues including, e.g., rail fastener integrity, rail profile, rail alignment, center point dip, cross level, rail cant, wheel wear, wheel integrity, rail wear, rail defects, and/or rail temperature. The system and method may also determine when inspection and/or maintenance of the track is indicated, and provide selected records of where and/or when such inspection and/or maintenance is indicated.

A system and method for inspecting a railway track a calculating plate cut and/or rail seat abrasion (RSA) based on rail head elevation and crosstie surface elevation measurements and an estimate of rail height.

A method for analyzing one or more conditions of a transportation pathway includes obtaining, using an imaging device of an inspection system, image data reproducible as a plurality of images of the transportation pathway, each of the plurality of images being reproducible as an image of a portion of the transportation pathway, each portion of the transportation pathway having an associated location along a length of the transportation pathway, analyzing, using one or more processors of the inspection system, the image data to determine a first plurality of metrics indicative of a condition of the transportation pathway at each of the associated locations, and generating a first graph, using the determined first plurality of metrics, that is indicative of the condition of the transportation pathway at each of the associated locations.

A method for analyzing one or more conditions of a transportation pathway includes obtaining, using an imaging device of an inspection system, image data reproducible as a plurality of images of the transportation pathway, each of the plurality of images being reproducible as an image of a portion of the transportation pathway, each portion of the transportation pathway having an associated location along a length of the transportation pathway, analyzing, using one or more processors of the inspection system, the image data to determine a first plurality of metrics indicative of a condition of the transportation pathway at each of the associated locations, and generating a first graph, using the determined first plurality of metrics, that is indicative of the condition of the transportation pathway at each of the associated locations.

A method and system for inspecting a rail profile include using ultrasonic phased arrays. Determined anomalies, such as material flaws like volumetric defects and cracks, in a fluid-immersed rail profile are detected by employing one or more phased array probes located proximate the rail profile. Electronic delays and beam steering and focusing can be employed to tailor the inspection to the rail geometry.

A method and system for inspecting a rail profile include using ultrasonic phased arrays. Determined anomalies, such as material flaws like volumetric defects and cracks, in a fluid-immersed rail profile are detected by employing one or more phased array probes located proximate the rail profile. Electronic delays and beam steering and focusing can be employed to tailor the inspection to the rail geometry.

A method for inspecting a railroad track include detecting, using one or more sensors of an inspection system, movement of a transport device along the railroad track, responsive to the detecting, automatically actuating one or more cameras of the inspection system, receiving, from at least one of the one or more cameras, first image data reproducible as a first image of a first portion of the railroad track, analyzing the first image data to identify the presence or absence of one or more features of interest on the first portion of the railroad track; determining a first location of the transport device, and associating the first location of the transport device with the first image data.

A method for inspecting a railroad track include detecting, using one or more sensors of an inspection system, movement of a transport device along the railroad track, responsive to the detecting, automatically actuating one or more cameras of the inspection system, receiving, from at least one of the one or more cameras, first image data reproducible as a first image of a first portion of the railroad track, analyzing the first image data to identify the presence or absence of one or more features of interest on the first portion of the railroad track; determining a first location of the transport device, and associating the first location of the transport device with the first image data.

The invention relates to non-destructive ultrasonic testing of flat-bottom rails, laid on track, and can be used for detection of defects in tips of the rail foot on aluminothermic welded joints, performed by the intermediate casting method. During the ultrasonic testing of aluminothermic welded joints, at least two zones for ultrasonic testing were determined with selecting one of at least two zones on the weld bead (reinforcing bead) from the lateral surface of the tip of the rail foot. At least two specific zones are grinded on the weld collar (reinforcing collar) with creation of at least two flat areas, which are able to ensure acoustic contact. The ultrasonic transducer is placed on every flat area of the collar, which is connected to at least one ultrasonic flaw detector. Ultrasonic testing of weld is performed using at least one flaw detector Delta-method or echo-method. As a result of the invention implementation, there is no any blind zone in the base of the rail welded joint. The described invention ensures higher accuracy in detection of welds defects within the tips of the rail foot area. 2 z.p. f-ly, 8 il.