Helping fault-free train travel by condition monitoring

As Engineers we accept that some faults will. always occur either as components reach the end of their lives, extremes of operating conditions are approached or mistakes are made. The challenge and the reward lies in the identification and management of such developing faults before they can affect the train service. The application of condition monitoring offers significant: potential for this. For many years AEA Technology Rail has been involved with the development and provision of condition monitoring systems for the railway industry. This paper will describe some of the systems produced that have particular relevance to fault free train operation. The paper looks beyond the train itself and considers the track-train interface and some of the monitoring systems recently developed to help in the management of this key contractural boundary post privatisation.