Grade crossing accidents, remain one of the most expensive and horrific class of accidents facing modern railroads. The intrusion of anything onto the rails in front of a moving train inevitably results in that something – person, car, truck – being utterly destroyed, and can cause damage or even derailment of the train. This can cost millions of dollars and often in severe injuries or deaths. Various warning and gateway devices try to warn or prevent intrusion, but drivers will often deliberately circumvent these devices. A means is needed to actively detect the intrusion of objects onto the rail at times and in places where this can pose a danger.

Key Features and Benefits:

• Full time video monitoring: Using cameras with special low-light capability and illumination, the system operates 24 hours a day.
• Integrates multiple smart cameras: Allows system to monitor large crossing areas and evaluate a scene from multiple angles.
• Multimodal capability: In addition to video, the system can be enhanced with audio or microwave sensors for more accurate evaluation.
• Timely Notification: System capable of wireless notification to companion monitoring system in approaching locomotive and to local authorities.

IEM’s Smart Grade Crossing Monitor System uses advanced multispectral imaging, image-based metrology, and unique algorithmic approaches to determine the size and nature of any object intruding on the defined “exclusion region” around the tracks. Objects intruding on the region are tracked and given a cautionary yellow marker; red markers are objects in the exclusion zone which have stopped in the region and remain there. Smart processing software will automatically alert any interested parties – including central dispatch, local emergency authorities, and even the train if properly equipped – if something remains on the tracks too long or fits a potentially dangerous profile when a train is approaching.