University of New Mexico spearheads research to improve small railroad safety

The University of New Mexico (UNM) School of Engineering in the US has announced research aimed at improving safety and maintenance on small railroad lines.

The upcoming Rail Center for Research Enhancing Short Line Transportation (CREST), funded by a $6.8m Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Programme grant, is slated to launch this autumn with ten collaborative research initiatives involving universities and railroads.

Institutions such as Penn State, Kansas State University, University of Texas, Auburn University, University of South Carolina, and UNM are among the participants.

The focus is on aiding short lines, small railroad companies that operate as small businesses, by utilising low-cost sensors, augmented reality (AR), and artificial intelligence (AI) to pinpoint areas needing maintenance.

Fernando Moreu, associate professor at UNM, will lead the institution’s contribution through the Smart Management of Infrastructure Lab (SMILab).

Moreu, with over a decade of experience in railroad bridge infrastructure, emphasises the importance of early detection of track decay to reduce costs and improve safety.