Railway Prognostics and Health Management (panel)

Railroads play an essential role in today's global economy. As the most efficient land-based mode of transport for freight and the most reliable commuting method for passengers, both freight and passenger rail enable economies to operate reliably, safely and cost efficiently. Given the global pervasiveness of the railroads, making this transportation mode even more reliable and efficient is of paramount importance. 

Emerging technologies such as Machine Learning and Big Data are promising candidates to unlock greater utilization by changing existing maintenance practices towards condition based maintenance. Both, mechanical assets such a locomotives and railcars, as well as infrastructure assets such as tracks, will benefit from this change, as maintenance and impending failure become predictable. Successful implementations include monitoring track geometry/rail condition, brake systems, and wheel health (to name a few). 

While the predictive capabilities are improving, other factors that are integral for the success of Railway PHM still require more attention. These include data acquisition, storage and transmission on unpowered assets such as freight railcars, network infrastructure for monitoring train make up, and creating appropriate value chains to offset initial investment costs. 

The panel is made up of experts from various railroad markets across the globe who will offer a collective overview of differing perspectives. The panelists will present their unique backgrounds and discuss their experiences with Railway PHM projects and the impacts PHM has made. The panel will include a discussion about the future of Railway PHM, where the panelists see the most pressing need for improvements, and where the greatest opportunities can be found.