ENSCO delivered to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority its first track geometry vehicle (TGV), a specialized railcar equipped with advanced technology that analyzes the condition of the rail and track infrastructure, and will alert Metro to potential defects.
Boris Nejikovsky, vice president of ENSCO’s rail division, said: "ENSCO is proud of our continuing support of track safety at Washington Metro and our ability to provide them with one of the most comprehensive track inspection vehicles in the world."
The custom-built TGV is groundbreaking in the industry because it combines the power of several inspection systems that deploy state-of-the-art technologies on one vehicle. The TGV features multi-dimensional analysis capabilities, including the ability to:
- Measure rail geometry, rail cross-sectional profile, station platform edge position and third rail position and temperature
- Perform ultrasonic rail flaw inspections
- Record video of track right of way and tunnel walls
- Utilize infrared video to identify hot electrical components including third rail
- Measure the track signals used by the automatic train protection systems on each revenue car
- Travel and perform some testing at speeds up to 60mph
- ENSCO is currently the only provider of third rail measurement in the United States.
The TGV enables Metro to test during operating hours as well as non-revenue hours, providing the in-house capability to inspect track with greater speed and efficiency, resulting in cost savings. The TGV will assist Metro in the detection of track anomalies before they can become safety issues and affect service.
The TGV will undergo a period of calibration and testing before entering Metro service.
ENSCO has developed and implemented state-of-the-art automated track inspection systems for more than 40 years.