There are thousands of miles of military, short line, and industrial railroad track that serves a vital role in transportation for the Department of Defense and the private economy. Due to lower speeds and frequency of use, this track has maintenance and management requirements which typically differ from the large Class I commercial railroads. However, in order to ensure this safe and reliable mode of transportation, and protect the nation’s investment, these track networks still need to be periodically inspected and continually maintained cost efficiently. RAILER® SMS is a knowledge-based track management program that gives planners decision support in the sustainment, restoration, and modernization (SRM) of their track network. It combines condition assessment, work plan generation, and spatial analysis through a companion Geographical Information System (GIS) program to help provide support for informed decisions to managers. The first step in the RAILER® implementation process is the creation of track inventory. This is a physical survey of what makes up the track network, and includes pertinent information about the rail, ties, switches, culverts, curves, grades, grade crossings, etc. A key part of this inventory process involves establishing a track naming convention and stationing scheme. The stationing helps to establish a reference point and location for each track. It also makes it easier to locate defects during the inspection and subsequent repair. Once the inventory is collected, a detailed inspection of the track is done to identify, locate, and record track defects. RAILER® links each recorded defect to 1) operations restrictions and maintenance levels based on governing standards, 2) a Track Structure Condition Index (TSCI) metric relating physical quality and condition, and 3) local work actions to correct the defect.

This information is used to make informative decisions in the development of efficient short and long-range work plans. Using the TSCI and the track standards with a customized set of business rules and prioritization schemes, managers can use the software to narrow down a long list of deficiencies to a filtered list of the most important work based on the condition and operations for the track.

 

RAILER® Remote Entry Database (RED) is provided with the RAILER® SMS software to allow for electronic collection of inventory and inspection information while in the field. This software can be installed on a tablet PC for quick, accurate, and easy data collection for direct upload into RAILER® software when back at the office. The RAILER® RED software also displays defect findings from a previous inspection for verification if the defect was fixed or still remains. In addition, it displays the operating restriction for a recorded defect in real time based on the governing track standard.

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