VISUAL MONITORING OF RAILROAD GRADE CROSSING AND RAILROAD TRACKS

University of Central Florida

Phase I

Visual Monitoring of Railroad Grade Crossing

Objectives

Monitor railroad grade crossing for hazardous behavior.

Issue a audio/visual alert.

Self-contained portable system

System Overview

The main processing pipeline of the system:

Computer Vision LaboratoryUniversity of Central Florida

The Portable System

Batteries

Main Processing Unit

Carrying Unit

Solar PanelsCamera

Computer Vision LaboratoryUniversity of Central Florida

Website Interface

Each site contains

Live image

Latest log file data Trains detected

Train title Date Time

Objects detected Object ID Date/Time

Computer Vision LaboratoryUniversity of Central Florida

Email Alerts

Email alerts are triggered on activities

Alert frequency can be changed by user parameters

Each email contains Site source location Message about activity Image of object involved in

activity

Performance Evaluation Detected Violators

P421

Mount Dora

New Smyrna BeachP127 P135

03-01-2005, 11:32:33

03-01-2005, 11:32:19

03-08-2005, 13:18:23

02-22-2005, 11:01:42

03-02-2005, 12:42:57

03-11-2005, 15:17:53

Visual Inspection of Railroad TracksPhase II

Mobile Platform Design

Basler A400 High speed firewire

Mobile Platform

The main factors driving the design of the mobile platform are: Portability Image Stability Uniformity of

Illumination conditions

Mobile platform

Video obtained from mobile platform

Example rail video obtained from mobile platform

Defect detection

Engine Burn Defects

A condition in which the rail has been scarred by the heat created by locomotive.

Appearance in track. Round or oval rough spots or holes on the surface of the rail.

Burn area

Burn area

1

1 Railroad Track Standards, Departments of the Army (TM 5-628)

Processing Pipeline

Results

= Detection = Confidence

Results

Results

Potential burn regions

Rail Crack Defects

Rail Cracks

Stress caused by the wheels of the train can lead to cracks on the rail head.

Rail Stress

Processing Pipeline

Current work

Rail Gauge Verification

Objective: Verify that the distance between rails is

within a safe margin.

Synchronized high speed cameras

Rail Gauge

Missing Fasteners

Detect missing fasteners

Steel Clips or Fasteners

Missing fasteners

Thank you