Frauscher Sensor Technology has completed the divestiture to Wabtec Corporation.

Find Out More
Tracking Trains in Houston | USA
Train DetectionUnited States of America

Tracking Trains in Houston

Operator
MTA Houston
Country
United States of America
Partner
MEC Mass Electric Corp.
Segment
Main & Regional Line
Application
Track Vacancy Detection
Products
RSR180, FAdC
Year
2016
Scope of project
565 wheel sensors, 103 equipment locations
Download

Houston MetroRail (METRO for short) is comprised of three light-rail lines covering 22 miles. Two-car, low-floor trainsets are powered by overhead catenary and operated on a mix of rail types, including embedded, grooved, concrete, and ballasted track. Harsh weather conditions such as extreme heat, humidity, and storms with heavy rains causing floods are typical for Houston. Combined with the variable track structure this caused significant malfunctions of the wheel sensors of METRO’s signalling system.

In order to improve the system, METRO conducted trial installations with several suppliers of axle counter solutions to demonstrate features and the overall performance of their respective products. Due to the complicated track structure and environmental conditions, Frauscher quickly understood that the required wheel sensors had to be simple to install, immune to extreme heat as well as waterproof as floods could easily occur. The trial results demonstrated that the Frauscher Advanced Counter FAdC met all of METRO’s requirements in terms of environmental influences, interfaces, reliability and seamless integration into the existing infrastructure.

The flexible design of the FAdC allows efficient data transfer via relay interface to the traffic control system and interlocking. Additionally, two optional intelligent functions, Supervisor Track Sections and Counting Head Control, were used to counter the effects of unexpected influences such as metallic debris. The installed Frauscher Wheel Sensor RSR180 is extremely robust and not affected by any environmental influences.

In total, 565 Wheel Sensors RSR180 were installed along the rail line, and the axle counter Frauscher Advanced Counter FAdC in 103 locations throughout the network to guarantee a flawless operation of the line.

Excellent match of requirements

The Frauscher axle counting solution met all of METRO’s environmental, interface and reliability requirements. The straightforward installation and smooth transition from the existing train detection system was highly appreciated by the operator.

Reduction of costs

The new system caused a significant reduction in down time and maintenance costs, which will continue to add up over the lifecycle of the system. The additional smart functionalities that were implemented increased the availability of the system even further.

Similar Projects
This might also interest you
1/5
Train DetectionChina

Fenghuang Maglev

Fenghuang Maglev is a medium-low speed maglev rapid transit line. Since maglev trains do not have wheels, traditional wheel-based detection systems cannot be directly applied to maglev traffic engineering.
Learn More
Train DetectionUnited States of America

Class 1 Grade Crossing Enhancement FAdC and RSR180

Frauscher was approached by a US Class 1 railroad regarding a grade crossing owned and operated by them, on a track crossing a public road. The operator’s main goal was to find a signaling solution that would seamlessly integrate with the current crossing controller and keep the crossing operational under challenging operational conditions. The Frauscher Advanced Counter FAdC and Wheel Sensor RSR180 were chosen as the ideal solution for this particular project.
Learn More
Train DetectionUnited States of America

MTA Baltimore North Avenue Yard

In this project, reliable and precise train detection was needed to automate the yard and significantly increase efficiency and safety. To meet these requirements, the Frauscher Advanced Counter FAdCi and Wheel Sensors RSR180 were selected for this automation project.
Learn More
Train DetectionUnited States of America

Reducing Delays in a Metro (subway) Environment

A large metro operator was researching ways to reduce bottlenecks that were causing significant delays at a busy station. With two routes dividing in close proximity to the station and a complex auto-routing system that required the use of a 30-second timer to release switches, trains would frequently back up when approaching the station.
Learn More
Train DetectionChina

CBTC Fallback System on Beijing Metro Lines

Beijing metro, one of the busiest lines in the world, was Frauscher’s very first assignment when entering the Chinese market. Due to its utilised capacity, it requires a great level of stability, reliability and performance of the entire signalling system. The Communication Based Train Control System (CBTC) applied here relies on a backup system consisting of fixed automatic train detection systems. Axle counting systems from Frauscher are perfectly suited for the accurate operation of such stand-by systems.
Learn More