Now, a system to detect fractures in rly tracks

RDSO develops Ultrasonic Broken Rail Detection system to keep tabs on ‘acts of sabotage’ and rail fractures

LUCKNOW: The RDSO has developed a unique system to keep tabs over ‘acts of sabotage’ and rail fractures, which often result in train mishaps. RDSO officials said it will detect in advance any abnormality in railway tracks.

OCT 2, 2015: A 50cm chunk of the track between Kankaha and Mohanlalganj stations found missing. The matter came to light when an alert loco pilot sensed some abnormality on the track and reported it to authorities, suggesting immediate inspection of it. Investigators recovered broken hexa blades from the site and termed it a sheer act of sabotage.

Jan 16, 2016: A vigilant keyman spotted two unusual cuts (not rail fractures) on the track near the Kankaha station, 30km from Lucknow. The cuts were 2.23meters apart on the Mohanlalganj-Kankaha route. One was 2.3cm deep while the other was less than 1cm deep. Here too, agencies recovered cutter blades.

FEB 6, 2016: Patrolling staff again found two cut-marks on the Mohanlalganj – Kankaha section track near Mohanlalganj.

LUCKNOW : Such incidents will probably not pose hazard to human lives in near future as the RDSO has developed a unique system to keep tabs over ‘acts of sabotage’ and rail fractures, which often result in train mishaps.

RDSO officials said the ‘Ultrasonic Broken Rail Detection’ (UBRD) system is a foolproof system to detect in advance any abnormality in railway tracks.

The system, as its name suggests, is designed to detect snags through ultrasonic waves. NK Sinha, executive director (admn) RDSO, said the system largely comprises of a transmitter and a receiver that are fitted along the railway tracks.

“The transmitter emits ultrasonic waves that pass through the tracks and reach the receiver. In case of any breakage (of the rail

track), the transmission would be interrupted. The interrupted signals, along with the exact location of the track, would be passed on to the monitoring cell or rail control cell for immediate action,” said Sinha, while talking to HT. He said, it is designed to give realtime monitoring that makes it

efficient. At present, the system is in testing phase at different points. “The UBRD is under trial on a 25-km stretch between Allahabad and Kanpur and in Moradabad Division till April 2018. Once it clears the field test, the decision will be taken on its induction,” he added.