Railyard Automation and Management

What makes for good Rail Yard Management of HPC, FPC and NX Automation?

A combination of rail yard knowledge and self-teaching AI can lay the groundwork for optimizing operations. PS Technology’s SwitchPro™ rail yard automation & management products provide train terminal operators with tools to improve terminal efficiency for hump yards, flat yards, and NX, leading to increased throughput with lower operating costs.

SwitchPro automates yard operations with modern programming that were previously completed through manual effort or legacy systems.

All Process Control Systems utilize a real-time web-based health and monitoring system. This system provides insight into terminal automation operations, such as utilization and efficiency, as well as a health and monitoring system that alerts users when equipment has failed.

Solid Experience

Legacy of 25+ years in the rail yard automation and yard management business developing and deploying train terminal process control systems.
Deployed over 50 terminal process control systems. Including the sole vendor for the Union Pacific Railroad.

Fast, Rugged and Incredible Up-time.

Design Considerations

PS Technology’s systems are designed around improving efficiencies in everyone’s job, not just a process control system to automate manual movements for rail yard management. These systems are designed to be easy to use for the workers in the field responsible for using the system. Intuitive for the maintainer responsible for troubleshooting and performing regular maintenance. While providing visibility into asset utilization for the management responsible for running the terminal.

These rail yard automation controller systems are designed to be easy to use for the workers in the field responsible for using the system, intuitive for the maintainers responsible for performing regular maintenance and troubleshooting issues, and provide visibility into asset utilization for the management responsible for running the terminal.

Service Reputation

PST always puts the needs of its customers first, from project kick-off where customers are able to choose a communication channel that works best for them during development.

SwitchPro hump process controller HPC switch and yard control system

Hump Process Control

PST’s SwithPro HPC hump yard process control system comprises of real time process control machines communicating with distributed IO to safely and efficiently classify cars in terminal rail operations. The performance metrics and features qualify it to be one of the best in the world.

Classification Efficiency

Dynamic Hump Yard Speed allows for a 20% increase in throughput, without sacrificing misroutes.
AEI Integration for work list validation and minimizing downtime during classification.
Cutting-edge machine learning algorithms allow for maximized coupling performance in all weather conditions.

Fully Utilize Key Assets

Web based dashboards and reports allow users to monitor the state of the hump yard terminal and how it is performing in real-time.
Redundant Systems allow for a 99.99% availability.

Utilize Data Analytics

Web-based system used to keep track of the health of terminal equipment and hump yard terminal rail operations. Utilizes system data to predict equipment failures and report them through real-time messaging as well as a dashboard.
Event playback and improved logging supports increased accuracy when troubleshooting and diagnosing failures.

Safety Features

Safety features to minimize cornering’s, derailments, and rollouts such as Dynamic Cornering Protection, Enhanced presence detection, empty track logic, and Contamination Detection.

SwitchPro FPC FPC Flat Process Controller flat yard classification switching yard control system

Flat Process Control

PST’s flat yard classification software allows for seamless classification and routing for all kicking and shove to rest classification and switch yard operations. The software integrates with the enterprise to load work lists and classify them based on their destination tracks for better terminal rail operations.

Increase Efficiency

Integrate with the enterprise terminal management system to manage and classify work lists, allowing for seamless route advancement.

Monitor Utilization

Monitor operations to ensure that performance numbers will be achieved by understanding all movements made during a switch yard shift so that non-value-added moves can be eliminated.

Utilize Data Analytics

Utilize data analytics to predict equipment failures before they occur.
Real-time web-based monitoring system that reports all failed equipment and equipment that is trending towards failure.

SwitchPro Entrance-Exit switch NX switch yard classification yard control system

Entrance/Exit Control

PST’s modern SwitchPro NX terminal control switch yard software is a smart, cost-effective and efficient solution for controlling all terminal hardware through a user-friendly HMI or a mobile application. Its configurability allows for condensed lead times and seamless cutovers minimizing concern of software installation. It’s configurability allows for condensed lead times and seamless cutovers minimizing the concern of software installations or updates. The system uses commercial off the shelf technology, minimizing downtime or fear of reduced inventory. It also comes with a multitude of features driving increased efficiency and utilization.

Increase Efficiency

Communicate with all terminal hardware to save around 4 minutes per switch throw.
Minimum lead times to develop, test, and deploy new systems in switch yards.
Use a graphical HMI to monitor the location of crews so that smarter decisions can be made based on the current state of the terminal.
Automatically set Blue flags on tracks as trains are yarded.

Monitor Utilization

Monitor operations to ensure that performance numbers will be achieved by understanding all movements made during a shift so that non-value-added moves can be eliminated.

Utilize Data Analytics

Utilize data analytics to predict equipment failures before they occur.
Real-time web-based switch yard monitoring system that reports all failed equipment and equipment that is trending towards failure.

They Said It

“The ease and flexibility to configure the system with a variety of field equipment has made new Rail Yard setups a snap. The built-in legend and help video allows for a reduction in training and increased ramp up time during cutovers.”

Joshy Madathil, Systems Engineer
Union Pacific Railroad

“The Legacy Process control system was only good for automating the process of switching cars. The feedback in the new systems make them true process control systems. We have real-time insight into the state, health, and operational performance of the system. Creating a closed-loop control system and operating environment allowing for steady-state and sustainable operations.”

Nathan Nowak, Systems Engineer
Union Pacific Railroad

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