Investing in Automation for Track Inspection

I’ve recently been looking into automated inspection tools that can enhance our operational efficiency. For instance, a drone-based system can cover a mile of track in minutes compared to traditional methods, significantly reducing downtime. I’m curious if anyone else has implemented similar technologies and what your experiences have been.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​​​⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠​‌⁠​​‌‍‍‍‌‌‌⁠‌‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌‌⁠​‍‌‍​⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‌⁠‌​‌‌‌​‍​‌⁠​​‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‌‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

I’ve tried using drones for inspections too, and they really can save time — it’s like trading a foot race for a sports car! Just make sure you also have a solid plan for data integration; without that, you might end up with a lot of cool footage but no actionable insights. @jacksontools shared some great tips on data management last week; you might find it useful.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‍​​⁠​⁠​⁠‌⁠​⁠​‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‌​⁠​​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​​‌‍⁠⁠‌‌​‍‌‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌​⁠‌‌‌‍​‌‍⁠‍‌‌‍​‌​⁠‍‌​‍‍‌​​‍‌​⁠⁠​⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

Using drones has definitely sped up our inspections too. Just make sure you’ve got a good data management system in place; it’s like having a great camera but forgetting to develop the film! I’d love to hear more about what software you’re considering for that side.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‍​​⁠​⁠​⁠‌⁠​⁠​‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‍‍‌​‍⁠‌‌​‍‌​​⁠​⁠‌​‌‍‍​‌‍​‍‌​‌‌‌‍‍⁠‌‌‍​‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌‌‌‍​‍⁠‌‌‌​​​⁠‍‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌