Sensing Train Integrity

This paper presents a new approach to check integrity of cargo trains based on a distributed wireless sensor network (WSN). The WSN is autonomous and gathers information about the composition of the train without outside help or intervention. If the WSN infers from its data that an unexpected change in composition has occurred, it raises an alarm. While moving, a change in composition usually means an undesirable and hazardous loss of carriages. Train composition is determined by two components of the WSN. The communication protocol produces possible sequences of carriages. Sequences may yield carriages from multiple trains. Acceleration sensors distinguish carriages from different trains by correlating movements from individual carriages. Tests with real cargo trains show that the presented approach is feasible. Existing solutions to check train integrity are almost without exception based on trackside systems, while our solution exclusively depends on the train-based WSN.