Many light rail and Metro operators find the usage of axle counters has modernized and automated their rail yards by eliminating tedious and time consuming manual systems. In light of this improvement, the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) decided to upgrade their North Avenue Yard in Baltimore, Maryland. The key objectives were to improve efficiency of vehicle movements, eliminate switch trailing, provide operators positive switch and route feedback, and increase situational awareness throughout the yard. These objectives were achieved using a programmable logic controller (PLC) for route processing, switching, and signal lighting, along with the axle counter Frauscher Advanced Counter i (FAdCi) for vehicle detection. The FAdCi provides a software interface to the PLC via Frauscher Safe Ethernet (FSE), an open and freely available protocol, which enhances the system above and beyond traditional track circuit vehicle detection. Implementation of these modern systems allows for centrally available system diagnostics, insight to the quantity of cars stored in the yard, efficiency in operator scheduling and vehicle movement, reduces risk of operator injury, eliminates switch machine damage, and provides continuous event and alarm logging.
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