Notification Center
Frauscher Marketing
May 26, 2025 | 6 min read
As a rail professional operating in North America in 2025, chances are you have a general familiarity with Frauscher wheel sensors and axle counters and their use in various train detection applications. This simple fact indicates the first decade of our journey has been successful – take a moment to walk through our history and to also see what’s to come!
The Journey Begins....In 2015, the wheel sensors and axle counters produced by Frauscher Sensor Technology of Austria had already been considered the global rail industry standard for train detection for decades. Frauscher’s strong presence in Europe was steadily branching out to countries such as India, China and Australia, with plans for further global expansion. North America was not initially considered as part of this expansion, mainly because the US and Canadian rail markets were considerably different from many other countries. Industry knowledge of axle counters was limited at best, and for the most part track circuits were the exclusive method of track vacancy detection.
Frauscher did eventually decide to establish itself in Princeton, NJ, with the goal of bringing axle counting technology to North America. A small team that included experienced Frauscher engineers from other locations was gathered and tasked with spreading the word about the benefits of this “new” technology. The early strategy was to gain exposure by targeting operators, integrators, and engineering design firms, since the “buy in” of these key groups would be required to make any progress in the marketplace.
If there was an industry trade show, conference or exhibition, Frauscher was there! The effort eventually paid off and provided opportunities to present at events or participate in panels, focusing on common issues with traditional train detection and how axle counters might avoid them.
A high level of exhibition participation helped us to become acquainted with an ever-growing network of contacts, getting to know their businesses and gathering large amounts of information. Analysis of this information yielded an idea. Realising axle counters were considered new technology here, convincing operators and integrators to utilise them for vital and safety critical applications would take quite some time. Common concerns included lack of familiarity with the European CENELEC safety standards assigned to Frauscher products, no proven installations, and the reality that track circuits had been the standard technology since the 1800s.
The US team approached R&D in Austria with a product idea that could help get our foot in the door. We explored the possibility of a non-vital wheel sensor for applications such as triggering trackside equipment (wheel defect detectors, AEI readers, hot box detectors, etc.), and other non-vital applications such as switch protection in yards or industrial facilities. This resulted in the development of our Wheel Sensor RSR110, providing a way for operators to implement our systems with less perceived risk.
The rollout was a success, with enthusiastic system integrators marketing the RSR110 in conjunction with their own triggering systems. It quickly became Frauscher’s flagship product in North America, with nearly 14,000 units sold to date! Read more about the development of the RSR110, and later the FTVS - a non-vital axle counting system.
The success of the RSR110 for non-vital solutions opened doors. Frauscher’s next goal was to be involved in vital train detection projects. Reaching this goal required advocates, and we had an idea how to obtain them. Potential customers with a pain point would be given the opportunity to test our products on a trial basis, at no cost to them. By allowing operators and integrators to use our axle counters in shadow mode with existing technology such as track circuits, they could compare results and see for themselves how reliability and uptime could be improved with the axle counter in service. Read more about our trial initiatives and some early projects that resulted from them, including the automation of an MTA Baltimore yard and the replacement of track circuits with axle counters on Toronto Transit Commission’s Line 1.
Our largest early success began in 2015, when Houston METRO and MEC Mass Electric asked Frauscher to participate in a product test with other axle counters to choose a replacement for the existing equipment. Houston’s goal was to increase uptime and availability of their system ahead of the city hosting Super Bowl LI in January of 2017. After the testing period Frauscher was chosen, and we were able to accommodate the short time frame. The system was up and running with time to spare before the big game. Over 700,000 passengers were safely and efficiently transported during Super Bowl week, and the system continues to run successfully today.
In 2025, we can confidently state that our 10-year journey has been successful. The North American rail space is now aware of axle counters and the various ways they can improve reliability and safety. Looking back, we see a long list of successes that would not have been possible without the help and input from our many customers and partners. Completed projects throughout the US and Canada range from vital train detection, CBTC secondary, grade crossings and yard automation, to non-vital solutions for triggering trackside equipment, switch protection and more in yards, ports and industrial facilities.
Today we eagerly look forward to our next decade of growth and success. Over the past 10 years we have carefully built strong, skilled teams for both engineering and sales. These solid teams continually impress the marketplace with their knowledge, professionalism and overall high level of customer service.
On a global level Frauscher R&D is constantly working to improve our existing products and to develop new products that further enhance the level of benefits we can provide. Frauscher has made it a priority to become much more than a component supplier for our customers. Data Transmission capabilities, Frauscher Insights, Frauscher Academy and Smart lifecycle Services are now available, and collectively represent the exciting new roads that Frauscher is paving. As these new products and services are developed, tested and customised for the North American rail market, we are excited to further develop our partnerships over the next months and years. Our goal is to introduce field elements, software, connectivity and data access solutions, combined with smart life cycle services, to provide rail operators with the tools needed to maximise the safety, efficiency, and capacity of their networks.
We look forward to continued growth with our partners and customers and embarking on new endeavors together. For those with whom we have not yet had the pleasure of working, we hope to change that over the coming months and years!
Happy 10-year Anniversary Frauscher US!
Share this post
Contact us!
You want to get in touch with our team from Frauscher US?
Share this post
Contact us!
You want to get in touch with our team from Frauscher US?
