Norfolk Southern Implements Digital Machine Vision Inspection Tech Portals to Enhance Railway Safety, this is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Norfolk Southern's Commitment to Rail Safety

Utilizing machine vision inspection technology, Norfolk Southern has introduced digital train inspection portals to bolster safety throughout its railway network.

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These portals were developed through collaboration between Norfolk Southern’s Data Science/Artificial Intelligence and Mechanical teams and the Georgia Tech Research Institution.

The machine vision technology captures 360-degree images of passing railcars. The cameras are precisely synchronized, capturing an average of 1,000 images per railcar as they speed through tunnels at up to 70 miles per hour.

These high-speed cameras are strategically positioned at various angles to capture details that are often imperceptible during stationary inspections by the human eye.

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Additionally, inspecting moving trains enables the detection of defects that might go unnoticed during stationary checks.

The analysis of these images for potential defects is entrusted to FirstAI, an artificial intelligence system. The railway company’s specialist teams have devised 38 advanced deep learning algorithms, already in use on heavily trafficked rail lines, boasting remarkable accuracy and a minimal rate of false positives.

The artificial intelligence transmits this information to Norfolk Southern’s Network Operations Center, where the data is scrutinized for early issue identification and resolution, with critical defects receiving immediate attention.

Norfolk Southern initiated its first portal in Leetonia, Ohio, where trains pass approximately every hour. The company has ambitious plans to deploy over a dozen such portals by the end of 2024.

Photo: Norfolk Southern

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