SNCF rail gantry inspections: the observer project

摘要

The SNCF (French Railways) Observer system seeks to optimize track utilization (especially for freight trains) by introducing gantry inspections at speeds of 120 to 160 km/h. The system integrates new-generation CMOS-technology laser profile metres capable of inputting 1024 × 1024 images at a rate of 500 per second. It can detect objects of thicknesses as small as 20 mm.