Railroads are an essential part of the supply chain and facilitate bulk shipment and intermodal container transportation. Using trains for freight transportation is cheaper than trucks on a per-ton-mile basis. It is also more efficient and sustainable. Currently, the US freight rail network moves a third of all US exports and 40% of long-distance freight volume.
Regardless of how many carloads you move or whether you lease or own your rolling stock, it is important to ensure you operate a well-maintained fleet of railcars. And this is where railway GPS tracking can play an important role.
Maintenance Scheduling
You can use GPS data to develop predictive maintenance schedules revolving around:
- Condition
- Age
- Location
- Usage
Advanced GPS tracking systems can also enable maintenance task tracking and monitoring within their connected software applications. Such systems can enable rail maintenance teams to take proactive measures to service and maintain equipment. This can help reduce the chances of breakdowns, avoid expensive repairs, and prevent downtime.
Predictive Maintenance
Railcar GPS tracking based predictive maintenance can allow logistics companies to keep track of railcars and address upcoming maintenance. It can enable you to perform essential repairs on schedule, keep disruptions to the minimum, and run operations more smoothly. This can help avoid situations where reactive maintenance or repairs are required for unexpected breakdowns.
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Such systems can also provide valuable insights into when and where parts are required. This can significantly help reduce costly and rushed shipping costs for spares, increasing cost savings.
When time-consuming maintenance and repair jobs are reduced, both in terms of frequency and duration, predictive maintenance systems help boost fleet availability.
Data Analysis Benefits
GPS tracking systems can provide data that can be analyzed to identify trends and patterns in resource utilization and performance. Such information can help make data-based decisions resulting in streamlined maintenance operations. This can further have long-term benefits for your freight rail operations.
Reducing Costs
GPS asset tracking can help drive cost savings in the area of rail maintenance operations through:
- Optimized asset utilization
- Improved maintenance scheduling
- Preventing theft or loss
GPS tracking can become an invaluable part of your freight rail operations. It can provide precise location data, enhance asset usage, and make maintenance and general operations more efficient. It can play a big role in not just the maintenance but also the management of rail infrastructure.
Multidisciplinary Approach to Freight Rail Maintenance
Proper railway maintenance is fundamentally multidisciplinary. Mechanical engineers are required to ensure the rolling stock stays reliable and logistics experts coordinate everything to keep schedule disruptions to the minimum. Other types of specialists are further required to maintain track and power supply and signaling. Such an approach helps ensure an interconnected network that works together and prevents individual issues from escalating, thus improving asset utilization.
Tracking Technologies
Traditionally, the automatic equipment identification (AEI) system using RFID tech has been used for tracking freight railcars. GPS-based telematics systems have only recently been integrated into the industry. In situations where satellite signals cannot be accessed, such as in tunnels, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) data transmission technology is used to complete GPS.
Conclusion
As with any other industry, regular and timely maintenance is important for the efficient and safe operation of freight rail equipment. It can help avoid costly, unexpected breakdowns that can cause downtime, delays, and financial losses.
Railway GPS tracking can be used along with advanced fleet management software featuring maintenance-related modules. Such applications can assist with maintenance scheduling and maintaining a history of breakdowns, spare parts replacements, and other processes. Among other benefits, predictive maintenance can help cut down on overtime costs by providing reliable predictions on lingering issues.
