An impact load detector can include a rigid object affixed to a structure for which an impact is to be evaluated. The detector can include one or more sensors which are configured to acquire impact data corresponding to an effect the impact on the structure has on the rigid object. The detector can include a data processor that processes the impact data to evaluate for a presence of a set of faults.

The present disclosure includes systems, devices, and methods for identifying, detecting, and/or tracking rail features. In some aspects, a system includes a camera and a computer having at least one memory, at least one processor configured to receive a plurality of images from the camera, and for each of the images: assigning a location identifier and identifying one or more rail features that correspond to one of a plurality of predetermined rail features. In some systems, the at least one processor is configured to determine a location of each of the one or more identified rail features.

A method and system for inspecting a rail by guided waves, the rail being instrumented by sensors. The method comprises the steps of receiving elastic wave measurements from one or more sensors, as a train passes, releasing energy as guided waves into the rail; and of determining a function representative of the impulse response of the rail and the sensors. Developments describe how to determine the existence, position and characterisation of a defect in the rail (e.g. fracture, incipient fracture, etc.), the use of inter-correlation analyses, correlation of the coda of correlations, Passive Inverse Filter, imaging techniques. Other aspects are described for exploring rail defects: sensor position and movement, acquisition time, sampling frequency, frequency filters, amplifications, techniques for learning during successive train passes, signal injection by transducers. Software aspects are described.

A wheel impact load detection system for detecting defects in wheel of railroad vehicles is presented. The system can receive data from sensors and/or a weather station to determine a maximum force applied to a rail, and subsequently calibrate the determined maximum force to account to environmental conditions. Additionally, the present disclosure can assign severity levels and generate alerts with the assigned severity levels, and such severity levels can facilitate the proper prioritization of the alerts. It is an object of the invention to provide a system for accounting for variable environmental conditions and/or variable rail tension in assigning severity levels to mitigate unneeded stoppage of railway traffic.

A system and method for on-board or rail-side monitoring of train track, wheels, running gear, and other railway systems' component health by constant monitoring of acoustic, vibration, and potentially other modalities is described. These data are then processed to arrive at the track health data per track location, arrive at specific vehicle component health, and ride quality data from either passenger comfort or cargo damage protection of view.

A route examination system includes a thermographic camera configured to be logically or mechanically coupled with a vehicle that travels along a route. The thermographic camera is also configured to sense infrared radiation emitted or reflected from the route and to generate a sensed thermal signature representative of the infrared radiation that is sensed. The system also includes a computer readable memory device configured to store a designated thermal signature representative of infrared radiation emitted from a segment of the route that is not damaged. The system also includes an analysis processor configured to determine a condition of a first portion of the route relative to other portions of the route at least in part by comparing the sensed thermal signature and the designated thermal signature.

An inspection system for inspecting the track of an amusement ride with at least one rail. A vehicle is provided that is designed to ride along the track. The vehicle supports cameras. The cameras are positioned in unobstructed areas. The cameras image the rail from different angles as the vehicle rides along the track. The images recorded by the cameras are reviewed to identify any defect or issue with the rail or its supporting framework that may impact from the safety of the ride.

An aspect includes a vehicle that includes rail inspection sensors configured for capturing transducer data describing the rail, and a processor configured for receiving and processing the transducer data in near-real time to determine whether the captured transducer data identifies a suspected rail flaw. The processing includes inputting the captured transducer data to a machine learning system that has been trained to identify patterns in transducer data that indicate rail flaws. The processing also includes receiving an output from the machine learning system, the output indicating whether the captured transducer data identifies a suspected rail flaw. An alert is transmitted to an operator of the vehicle based at least in part on the output indicating that the captured transducer data identifies a suspected rail flaw. The alert includes a location of the suspected rail flaw and instructs the operator to stop the vehicle and to perform a repair action.

A diagnostic inspection system for inspecting railway components which can be mounted on a railway vehicle designed to travel on a railway track, said diagnostic inspection system being designed to perform a diagnostic inspection of a railway component during movement on the railway track, said diagnostic inspection system comprising: one single mechanical structure (10) which can be fixed below the body of a railway vehicle; first optical units (13) positioned on said mechanical structure (10) for a first rail (11); second optical units (14) positioned on said mechanical structure (10) for a second rail (12); each of said optical units (13, 14) comprises: a matrix camera (20) associated with an infrared laser (21), and a linear camera (22) associated with a white laser (RGB) (23); said white laser (RGB) (23) comprises: three laser sources capable of emitting the three primary colours; three dichroic mirrors able to sum the components of said three laser sources in one single point; a Powell lens to generate a white light line; said first optical units (13) comprise a first left-hand optical unit positioned externally to said first rail (11) and inclined to frame the outer side of said first rail (11), a first central optical unit positioned perpendicular above said first rail (11) and a first right-hand optical unit positioned externally to said first rail (11) and inclined to frame the inner side of said first rail (11); said second optical units (14) comprise a second left-hand optical unit positioned internally to said second rail (12) and inclined to frame the inner side of said second rail (12), a second central optical unit positioned perpendicular above said second rail (12) and a second right-hand optical unit positioned externally to said second rail (12) and inclined to frame the outer side of said second rail (12); said mechanical structure (10) is a bar having a length greater than the distance between said first rail (11) and said second rail (12).

The present invention provides a highspeed advanced system to identify and classify the area of anomalies in a railroad rail. This is achieved by using a novel linear array solution that employs parallel transmission of an ultrasonic beam and the use of a virtual synthetic aperture to receive reflected echoes. This integrated system has the capability to locate and classify near surface horizontal defects at speeds more than 40 km/h and at the same time maintaining a constant pulse density of at least 4 mm or less per incremental longitudinal movement.