ATSI: Advanced Technology Safety Initiative
The nation's freight railroads have announced an initiative that will use innovative trackside technology to improve safety and efficiency on the rail network by giving freight car owners advance warning when freight car wheels are deteriorating.
Through a series of proposed changes to the Association of American Railroads (AAR) Interchange Rules, it is anticipated that the new Advanced Technology Safety Initiative (ATSI) will be implemented on October 1, 2004.
ATSI is a predictive and proactive maintenance system that uses the best available technology to detect and report potential safety problems and poorly performing equipment before they result in accidents or undue rail damage.
The first effort under the new initiative is the use of data from wheel impact load detectors (WILD) to monitor the health of railcar wheels. When a freight car wheel exerts a peak impact load of 90 kips or above as measured by a WILD site, it is not operating effectively, is considered "out of round" and on the path to failure.
The program provides a window of opportunity that opens when a wheel reaches a peak impact load of 65 kips.
Links to more information about ATSI:
ATSI: Additional Rule Changes Approved (6-23-2005 AAR Circular Letter)
ATSI: Additional Rule Changes Approved (10-21-2004 AAR Circular Letter)
EHMS Industry Project (11-3-2004 AAR Circular Letter)
ATSI: Rule Changes Approved (9-7-2004 AAR Circular Letter)
ATSI: AAR Press Release
Interchange Rules Package (7-16-2004 AAR Circular Letter)
WILD Calibration Standard and Solicitaion of Comments (8-17-2004 AAR Circular Letter)
Equipment Health Management System (8-26-2004 AAR Circular Letter)
ATSI: Town Meeting (11-13-2004 AAR Circular Letter)
ATSI Color Brochure
Railway Age Article on ATSI