Captis Rail Temperature Monitoring

During hot weather rail operators hold an increased risk of track buckling and train derailment, posing a safety and environmental risk. To overcome this rail operators must impose speed restrictions when alerted of high temperatures by government weather stations. Often these weather stations are hundreds of kilometers away and don’t provide specific location data to inform the operator. A solution was required to be installed across extensive rail networks that could provide more accurate, location-specific temperature readings at rail track level so the rail operators could accurately predict ambient air temperatures and effectively manage speed restrictions and operator safety.

Captis Rail monitors temperature data at the rail and is designed for reliable connectivity in remote regions, to withstand extreme weather, with low impact on the environment and with dual power sources for increased reliability and longevity. The bespoke enclosure with integrated solar panel ensures the IoT data logger is always charged while protected from high temperatures and UV exposure. The hinged hood and multipurpose backbone ensure the unit can be installed on any surface at any geographical latitude while maintaining solar efficiency and ventilation. Its unique rail temperature sensor enclosure ensures installation times and impact to environment are reduced.

The Captis rail monitoring solution is used to monitor and alert both ambient and/or rail surface temperatures for pro-active management and risk mitigation. It has been used throughout regional Australia to increase rail productivity and efficiency whilst ensuring the risk to environment and human life caused by derailments is more accurately managed. From a commercial aspect, being able to optimise enforced speed restrictions more effectively means significant reductions in ‘delayed minutes’. These delayed minutes can add up, and with 15,000 delayed minutes equaling approximately $25 million in delay costs, the efficiencies achieved can be extremely beneficial.

•Internal rechargeable lithium battery offering up to 10+ years life •Integrated Solar System for device backup power •Device Management and Over-the-Air (OTA) Configuration via Captis Cloud (Cumulocity) or Azure IoT integration •Connectivity via LTE-M / NB1 (Cat-M1 & NB-IoT) •IP68 rated device with a ruggedised enclosure •Stainless steel enclosure for maximum infield longevity •Tamper alarming upon enclosure opening •GPS tracking – critical for real-time location based alarming with configurable geo-fence alarming •Dedicated high gain external antenna for optimal cellular performance in Australia’s remotest areas •Flexibility to adjust solar panel angle based on geographical latitude •Integrated compass enabling optimal installations for peak solar efficiency •Unique backbone designed for multiple installation locations (star picket, pole and wall mounting) •Optimised device mounting location for minimised heat transference and maximised ventilation and cooling. •Integrated radiation shield for accurate ambient temperature readings •Expandable solution will cater for additional sensors as required