Railway testing using a portable ride quality and vibration measurement system with GPS

Brian Mee; Brian Whitten; Boris Neijikovsky

doi:10.1117/12.212675

30 June 1995 Railway testing using a portable ride quality and vibration measurement system with GPS

Brian Mee, Brian Whitten, Boris Neijikovsky

Proceedings Volume 2458, Nondestructive Evaluation of Aging Railroads; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.212675
Event: Nondestructive Evaluation of Aging Infrastructure, 1995, Oakland, CA, United States

Abstract

To conduct the testing and evaluation of railway and railway vehicles, the Federal Railroad Administration developed a protable system that consists of accelerometers oriented in the vertical and horizontal directions, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, data collection and power systems, and a portable computer. Commercial software was used to collect and display the data, while software, developed by ENSCO, was used to analyze and display results. The GPS provided dynamic location to an accuracy of 30 meters or better, and vehicle speed to within one mile per hour. The system was used in the demonstration tests of several advanced high-speed trains on Amtrak's Northeast Corrider and on other tracks in the US. The portable measurement system proved to be a simple and effective device to characterize the vibration environment of any transportation system. It is ideal for use in the assessment of the safe performance of high-speed trains operating at high cant deficiency. The system has also been used for other field tests, including braking performance and bridge monitoring. This report discusses the portable measurement system, the test applications that the system has been used for, the results of thoses tests, and the potential for improvements.

Citation Download Citation

Brian Mee, Brian Whitten, and Boris Neijikovsky "Railway testing using a portable ride quality and vibration measurement system with GPS", Proc. SPIE 2458, Nondestructive Evaluation of Aging Railroads, (30 June 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.212675

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