Keeping track of locos across India, from Tiruchi

Keeping track of locos across India, from Tiruchi

A new software, developed by a Hyderabad-based firm, has been commissioned at the Tiruchi Diesel Loco Shed recently.

Southern Railway has put in place an upgraded Global Positioning System-based monitoring system here for real-time monitoring of diesel locomotives on the move across the country.

The improved system will also enable railway officials in Tiruchi to monitor the ‘health’ of the locomotives at the click of the mouse. A dedicated control office has been created inside the sprawling Tiruchi Diesel Loco Shed for the purpose. About 100 locomotives of different types will be monitored round-the-clock from here.

A new software has been developed by a Hyderabad-based firm which has upgraded the GPS-based monitoring system which was commissioned at the Tiruchi Shed recently.

The Tiruchi Diesel Loco Shed is one of the premier facilities of the Indian Railway and only shed in the Southern Railway to home the highest fleet of 45 high horsepower ‘EMD’ locos

Unlike the earlier system, officials could not only monitor locos belonging to the Tiruchi shed but also locos of other sheds operating across the country. The health data and situation of the loco could also be known exactly under the upgraded system, said a senior railway official.

The diesel locomotives homed by the Tiruchi shed have been equipped with antennas on its exteriors to receive and transmit signals through satellite. A card module has been installed inside the locomotive to communicate through GSM and CDMA networks.

A couple of 55-inch LED monitors have been installed at the control room for real time monitoring of locos as well as their precise location. The system not only displays the location of the loco but also its number, the nearest diesel shed and its contact number and the shed that homes the loco.

The health of the locomotive and its complete parameters would be displayed o the Situation Awareness Display System ofthe monitor on typing the loco number, the official said. It would also enable railway officials to guide the loco pilots over phone while trouble-shooting in case of a technical snag.

The upgraded system has been developed based on feedback from railway technical personnel, said another official.

Of the total 140 locomotives homed by the Tiruchi Shed, 38 ‘Alco’ type locos and 35 ‘EMD’ high horsepower locomotives have been equipped for real time monitoring.

Source:The Hindu