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October 2026
Compiled by Michael Popke
ENSCO is advancing its Next Generation Autonomous Track Geometry Measurement System (ATGMS), a compact platform designed to extend continuous track measurement to locomotives, passenger cars, work machines and other space-constrained vehicles already operating across railroad networks.
The system addresses two practical barriers to broader autonomous inspection: limited installation space and the frequent stops made by MOW equipment, ENSCO officials said. Its compact architecture simplifies integration, while the optional zero-speed configuration maintains continuous alignment and longitudinal level/profile measurements as the vehicle slows to a stop and resumes movement — capturing valuable data conventional non-zero-speed systems might otherwise miss, they said.
ENSCO’s Next Generation ATGMS can be configured for either manned or unattended operation. In the unattended configuration, recording starts and stops automatically based on vehicle movement, and data can be transferred wirelessly to ENSCO’s TrackIT platform for map-based review, strip charts, reporting and alerts. The system measures gage, cross-level, twist/warp, profile, alignment and curvature; it also supports exception and Track Quality Index reporting, according to the company.
An optional Automated Maintenance Advisor adds maintenance recommendations and can support integration with enterprise resource planning workflows, extending the system from autonomous data collection to maintenance decision support, ENSCO officials added.
All told, the rail car combines high-strength construction, integrated thermal protection and enhanced safety features while meeting U.S. Department of Transportation and Association of American Railroads standards.
Testing at the Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo, Colorado, demonstrated performance aligned with industry expectations, officials said. Final development, validation and customer deliveries are continuing, with production units expected by year’s end.
The Laser Precision Solutions (LPS) LaserTrain is a laser-based railhead cleaning system developed to remove contaminants and restore rail adhesion during peak slip seasons. Engineered to operate at speeds up to 75 mph, it does not rely on consumables, meaning no downtime or route restrictions for re-filing.
Autonomous controls allow for safe and continuous rail cleaning during normal service hours, including through stations and over switches and crossings, providing up to 1,243 miles of network coverage per day without line closures or disruptions to schedules. One treatment optimizes adhesion for up to 24 hours, improving braking performance and reducing wheel wear, LPS officials said.
The LaserTrain is available in two configurations: Retrofit and Gen 2. The Retrofit converts decommissioned rail cars into cleaning vehicles. Sized to the donor car, it requires a GIS 70 truck and typically completes installation, testing and approval in six months, with no post-install FRA approvals required.
The Retrofit configuration is currently active at MTA’s Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road in the New York City area, and Keolis Commuter Services in Boston.
The Gen 2 is engineered for fast deployment across diverse maintenance fleets. Compliant with all relevant U.S. loading gauge standards, the Gen 2’s 20-foot quarter-height container unit is compatible with multiple carrier vehicles such as a R141 flat wagon, MPV or Unimog. Flexible power options and bi-directional operation with a single driver ensure easy integration into existing maintenance operations, LPS officials said.
TMV Control Systems Inc. has provided the Iron Ore Co. of Canada nine Traction Engine Control Unit (TECU) systems via Brookville Equipment Corp. to equip locomotives at a remote semi-autonomous ore mining operation. For the past five years, the TECU-equipped locomotives have been operating 24/7, powered from the grid by about 2,400 volts of overhead wire through a pantograph and hauling ore from a tunneled area to a centralized building for ore processing.
Brookville was in charge of the wheels, trucks, frame and other hardware, while TMV was brought in to build the control stand, general locomotive controls (wipers, throttle handle, contactors), operator displays and speed control of the locomotive, TMV officials said. TMV performs the autonomous functions in tandem with a computer called ATO (Autonomous Train Operator), produced by Wabtec Corp. subsidiary GE-Harris.
The TECU system offers a full picture of a locomotive’s power flow, as well as an analog input panel that serves as a high-voltage sensor to manage the complexities of the project’s power balancing requirements, TMV officials said. If multiple locomotives are operating on the same substation, the TECU system is designed to detect a power reduction and moderates power usage so the result is a minor loss of acceleration instead of shutting down the ATO altogether.
Safety features include speed-regulation protocols in which both systems have access to braking if they detect a failure of the other system, TMV officials said.
Maintenance-of-way (MOW) suppliers are constantly balancing operators’ immediate technology needs against longer-term demands for smarter and more efficient solutions. No products better illustrate that forward motion than the Turnout Remover and Carrier System (TRACS) from Genesis Rail & Plant, according to DavRail, the company’s exclusive supplier in North and South America.
For years, turnout replacement has been synonymous with disruption; laborious manual handling and extended network downtime have always plagued the industry, DavRail officials said in an email. TRACS changes that equation by eliminating the need for in-situ building and taking multiple lines out of service — delivering turnouts faster and more safely than other, conventional methods, they said.
DavRail officials believe its capabilities set it apart from traditional rail-handling, with a lifting capacity of 27,000 pounds per machine, remote-control operation for greater precision and operator safety, and self-loading functionality that lets it drive directly on and off a truck without additional equipment.
The center-lift technique also gives crews true center-balanced control when placing track panels, reducing the risk of damage to overhead power lines and track panels that comes with the offset lift points of conventional excavators, according to DavRail. The targeted repair capabilities of TRACS add another layer of value, enabling crews to address specific problem areas without the time and expense of broader interventions.
Genesis Rail & Plant’s partnership with DavRail in North and South America positions the center-lift technique for rapid growth, DavRail officials said. Leadership from both companies has framed the partnership as one that will fundamentally reshape MOW practices in the region, with DavRail playing a key role in the technology’s international expansion.
As railroads across the Americas seek evolving solutions that reduce carrier downtime, TRACS helps solve today’s turnout challenges while laying the groundwork for how the industry will approach track installation going forward, DavRail officials said.
Michael Popke is a Madison, Wisconsin-based freelance writer.
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