Trains work hard and need to be safe, which means operators must keep them in optimum condition. Currently, this requires comprehensive visual checks, completed by an overnight workforce. This can cause delays, and be costly and open to human error.

Working with Alstom Transport, a worldwide leader in rail transport, CRITICAL Software has assisted with the development of a pioneering new system that will help railway operators accurately monitor stock integrity automatically without taking trains off the track.

Alstom Transport’s TrainScanner™ will scan train carriages as they pass through carefully positioned lasers and cameras, taking status measurements of the hundreds of components the trains contain. This data will be delivered to train engineers through a real-time web interface, highlighting any potential problems that are likely to impact operations.

This precise yet fast process advises when a part will soon need replacing, or if a component is out of position, at which point the train will be scheduled for maintenance. This raises safety levels, and allows for better, more cost-effective and efficient planning of maintenance activities.

By providing reliable, accurate data, the unique TrainScanner™ system, the first of its kind in the UK, will revolutionise the strategies used by operators in dealing with the deterioration of stock.