A Practical Continuous Operating Rail Break Detection System Using Guided Waves

This paper describes the implementation of a system using guided waves in train rails to continuously monitor the rail for breaks. The system transmits guided wave ultrasound between stations spaced at approximately 1km intervals along the line. The transmit stations transmit sequences of signals every few minutes and if these signals are not received at the receive station, an alarm is triggered. Various challenges were faced during the development of the system due to the changing nature of the environment it operates in. The system has proven its worth on South African freight rails, detecting a number of breaks at the iron ore line, potentially preventing extremely disrupting and costly derailments.