A new product, Connected Rail Yard aggregates data from crew movements, locomotives, rail cars, MOW equipment, fixed signals, derails and foul point locations. Complete with rugged hardware and detailed software, Connected Rail Yard displays data on large monitors on a realistic satellite image with all moving assets. A separate schematic shows active tracks, foul points and derails, delivering new safety and efficiency tools quickly to dispatch teams.

Through Mesh technology, sensors installed on fixed objects within the yard pass data along like a bucket brigade creating a network with multiple paths to an access point. The solar-powered access point (AP) unit contains a modem, which then uploads the data to secure servers and the train dispatcher screens. The system is a new wireless approach to lower operating costs with increased reporting. Additional applications for the solar-powered and battery-backed MeshRF sensors are in development.

"The combination of in-yard networking with our success in solar-powered tracking creates a new vertical in the marketplace," says Lat-Lon president Dave Baker.

"We are excited to share what mesh technology can do now, and in the future."

A dispatcher’s in-office Tracks screen will reflect a switch or derail in the normal, diverting position, or unknown status in the form of a colored icon. Foul points will highlight the track, to illuminate the ramification of the potential or complete blockage. The satellite images screen, Real-Time, displays icons reflecting moving assets within the yard from standalone Lat-Lon units on rail cars, locomotives, MOW vehicles and fleet vehicles.

Crew personnel in the yard are monitored through individual tracking devices carried on person, equating to a running image on-screen. Custom reports can also be displayed to monitor asset alerts, weather or watch of specific asset or location.

These two screens allow for a simple, unified location for status verification. Not only generating a safer, yard with crew awareness, train dispatchers have a new means to increase throughput. The custom-build yard screens provide relevant real-time data at a lower overhead, thanks to fewer modems required.

For more information, please contact Lat-Lon.