SIGNAL+DRAHT | Issue 12/2011
The future challenges of wheel detection and axle counting – Part 2
Long since, in many countries of the world modern axle counting systems have taken over from track vacancy detection based on the track-circuit principle and are increasingly understood as an integral component of higher-level technical interlocking and signalling equipment. Nowadays, they are able to provide a great deal of information to the complete system beyond track vacancy detection. Here, the challenge is to meet the widest range of requirements of the track operators and system integrators with reference to environmental conditions, interfaces, reset procedures, direction information, diagnostic information, etc. at the lowest possible life-cycle costs. As Part 2 of a comprehensive survey [1], this contribution gives an overview of the state of the art in axle counting, future requirements, technical opportunities and in particular the resultant benefit for rail operators and system suppliers.