As Belgian railway infrastructure manager, Infrabel places its trust on the measuring and recognition system "CONTACT check" from ASE AG.
The system facilitates modern high-resolution images to automatically check the pantograph conditions for faulty contact stripes and uplift force on catenary. The measuring and recognition system is mounted concentric above the railway below bridges or bearers and can be also integrated into the multi sensor system ASE Checkpoint.
The measuring system delivers all parameters necessary to judge the condition of pantographs for trains with velocities of up to 300 km/h:
• Relative lateral displacement of pantograph
• Missing or deformed contact stripsThickness of the carbon layer over the total width (degree of wear)
• Inconsistencies in position and width (broken areas)
• Contact wire elevation indicating contact pressure
• Type detection and speed
• High-speed image recordingDifferentiation of carbon or copper contact stripsDefect analysis of pantographhorns
• Possibility of various additional customized automatic analysis
Approaching trains are detected by a RADAR sensor which allows early speed measurement. Additionally, depending on the type of application constant speed measurements can either be taken by optical sensors or axle detection. The pantograph is detected by high-speed optical sensors.
After the train passed through CONTACT check the measured data and pictures are transferred to the database. The picture of the contact wire, date and time, train speed, train length and the position of the contact wire at the train is stored. Additionally, the database can be replicated to a central managing system.
