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Axle Counting System ACS2000 - Efficient and Universal Clear Track Signalling System
The rationalisation of railway traffic and improvement of transport services require modern technology in many areas of railway operations. In regard to train protection this leads to automatic clear track signalling systems, which decisively improve safety - the prerequisite to increase efficiency. For years the market for axle counting systems has had above-average growth. This growth is due to the fact that railway operators, who formerly applied exclusively track circuits because of their additional capabilities for signal transmission to vehicles and rail breakage detection, are now increasingly opting for axle counting system.
It has been acknowledged that reliability and economic efficiency of modern axle counting systems do compensate these missing extra functions and actually offer significant saving potentials, especially regarding maintenance costs.
As a manufacturer of components and specialist in inductive sensor technology Frauscher GmbH has been delivering axle counting systems of type AZF (Achszählsystem Frauscher) since 1994, which are being used, sometimes in large numbers, by many railway operators.
Based on the experience gained the new axle counting system ACS2000 was developed. Compared with the proven predecessor system AZF, additional functions, such as fail-safe data transmission between two axle counting boards have been integrated, thereby increasing yet again its economic efficiency. Since April 2002 we have been able to offer a reliable axle counting system that is easy to operate and can be used universally and vendor-free for clear track signalling tasks at German Railway (DB AG) and other railway operators.
Counting heads of the ACS2000 come in two different types of wheel sensors with the appropriate evaluation interface board according to requirements.
Wheel sensor RSR122 comprises two independent sensor systems, which detect the wheel flange of the train wheel. The operating principle of the wheel sensor system is based on the loss of energy in an electromagnetic alternating field when damped by metal. Because the wheel sensor does not suffer any interference from the cadenced linear eddy current brake it is specially suitable for lines, where vehicles with this type of brake are in operation.
Wheel sensor RSR180 comprises two sensor systems that are placed lengthways in the rail, at a distance of 180 mm between them. The sensor operation is based on the principle of field line deflection. Because of the position tolerant mounting and the lack of any electrical adjustment at the rail, the RSR180 is the preferred choice for all common applications.
Typical characteristics of both wheel sensors:
- Quick and precise mounting at the inside face of the rail on a rail claw
- Complete absence of any other electronic components in the proximity of the rail
- No further maintenance needs in this dangerous and frequently time consuming work area of the track except for an annual checks
- Mountable onto the web of the rail; this however, requires the drilling of precise holes
- Equipped with a fixed moulded four-wire cable set, to be connected in the trackside connection box via terminal to the main signalling cable
- Wheel sensors comply with protection class IP 67, trackside connection box with IP65