Condition Monitoring of Braking Systems Using Wheel Temperature

The hot bearing and hot wheel detection systems on the Goonyella and Blackwater coal lines in central Queensland are being used for condition monitoring of braking systems. Two of the sites with wheel detectors were chosen to be near the foot of grades which loaded trains negotiate using a train air brake minimum application. Condition monitoring of the air brake system on coal wagons is being carried out using the wheel temperatures at these sites. Wagons having low wheel temperatures when the wheels on most of the train are warm are identified as having 'cold wheels' and a report is sent to Rollingstock Maintenance staff to schedule repairs. If the number of wagons with cold wheels, or their position in the train breach rules for operational integrity, then an alarm is also sent to the train crew and to Network Control for immediate action. Wagons having wheels significantly hotter than others in the train are classified as 'overbraking wagons' and a report is again sent to Rollingstock Maintenance. Identification of cold wheels and overbraking wagons has been found to be very repeatable and indicative of brake system faults. Condition monitoring of air braking systems in this manner can eliminate the need for most time based maintenance for wagons which regularly travel over these sites.