The challenge
Unforeseen switch faults cost train passengers time and entail high costs for rail network managers.
Unforeseen switch faults cost train passengers time and entail high costs for rail network managers.
Arcadis and Asset Rail developed an advanced tool to predict switch faults using fault profiles. Preventive maintenance reduces the number of rail problems.
With properly functioning switches, there are far fewer delays on the tracks, which keeps passengers and transport operators happy.
Unforeseen rail switch faults are very inconvenient for everyone involved. For passengers, these faults are a major cause of delays. For rail operators, they entail a lot of extra costs — in an age when operators are increasingly adopting an operational excellence strategy that aims to do more with less money. But systematic cutbacks can lead to higher costs in the long run, so it is important that asset-intensive organizations review and optimize their conventional business processes on an ongoing basis.
For rail operators, repairing faulty switches can be an expensive undertaking, so Arcadis and Asset Rail developed an advanced tool to predict switch faults. By using the results to carry out condition-based maintenance of suspect switches and points, Asset Rail can prevent the faults that are a major cause of delays for train passengers.
On the ten switches on which the model has been tested, we are able to predict 40% of faults before they occurred. This allows preventive maintenance to be carried out on the equipment in good time. Properly functioning switches mean far fewer rail delays, which keeps passengers and transport operators happy.