DB says it has already prevented 3600 faults with the system over the past year, improving reliability.
The final “turnout-ECG” point was installed in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt.
The sensor is installed on the power cable for the turnout, using induction to measure power consumption. If this deviates from normal parameters, maintenance staff are alerted and, using the data, decide whether preventive repairs are required.
DB also plans to monitor up to 18,000 point heaters by the end of the year. By 2021, sensors will be added to monitor the condition and position of the switches. Data from all these systems is collated in the Diana diagnostics platform.
