Tracking cargo with software, on the Web: Many shippers rely on a variety of real-time shipment tracking software to keep tabs on how their cargo is doing

Railway Age, March, 2002 by Tom Judge

Railroads have developed sophisticated tracking systems to help customers keep up-to-the-minute on shipments. However, some shippers want more information. Suppliers are providing the tools to do just that.

LaBarge Inc., Network Technologies Group, offers the ScadaNEr Network", a wireless system that operates on the control channels of the cellular telephone network throughout North America. A number of railroads are using the ScadaNET Network and CeltularRTU TM for monitoring grade crossings and wayside fault-detection equipment.

"We have come up with GPS-based tracking and alarm devices that we can operate across our network," says Tom Hilleary, vice president-business development. "We are evaluating their use for container tracking, railroad car location, and monitoring for refrigerated cars. We can also bring in alarm points and output controls to those locations, all over the Internet-enabled connection. We have the wireless network in place for crossing monitoring and wayside equipment monitoring, and we have the back-end connectivity into many railroads through a variety of networks and other data communications paths. So it's natural that we look at other information and conditions that can be sensed and sent across that same network. We expect to have devices ready mid-year and will be talking to our current users about placing them into initial trials."

LaBarge is also considering container tracking applications. They require wireless, very-low-power subnets that are self-configuring and self-adapting. "The technology is available, but the market hasn't really defined itself," says Hilleary.

MRC Rail Services, LLC, tracks unit coal trains for utilities and mining companies using its OnTrax" software, an operations-tracking, fuel-management, and rail-car-maintenance management software tool available over the Internet.

"OnTrax delivers timely information about coal shipments and railcar maintenance right to a person's desktop via the Internet," says Jerome Wess, vice president-sales and marketing. "Efficient utilization of transportation resources, including shipper-owned equipment and railroad equipment, is essential to ensure sufficient, cost-effective delivery of coal to electric power generators. OnTrax Operations is a comprehensive online coal car and fleet management tool, designed specifically for enhancing private unit coal train control. OnTrax Maintenance provides the latest technology tools for private rail car fleet managers, enabling them to execute maintenance programs in the most cost-effective manner possible."

These systems provide fleet planning, scheduling, and management; shipment and equipment tracking and cycle-time documentation; diversions enroute for special opportunities; delivery verification of delivery; and proactive railcar maintenance management.

"The OnTrax modules are based on Oracle and Windows NT technologies," Wess says. "We have an internetbased system. If you have an ID and a password, you log on to our website, then you go to the button that brings you into the secure section. You can log on any time, 24 hours a day, to look at the status board on your trains. That would give you their current location. The information is updated hourly through automated processes with various railroads. So information is normally no more than an hour old. We also have a series of key management reports you can download."

"For example, the first report most people look at is called the status board," Wess points out. "Let's say a utility has three coal-fired plants and 10 trainsets of 120 cars each that are moving coal from certain mines to certai power plants over several different railroads. You can select a particular power plant or all of the power plants, you can select all your shipments moving to a particular plant, or you can see all your shipments that are active. You'll see if your trains are loaded or empty, exactly how many cars are in each train, and an estimated time of when that train will be getting either back to the mine or to the power plant regardless of which railroad the train is currently operating on. It's a pretty dynamic thing and it's something that our utility customers look at numerous times every day."

Nexterna offers OptiWorkOrder[TM], a wireless solution for railroad work order reporting. "OptiWorkOrder is a graphical, user-interface-based, user-friendly, client/server application that allows a railroad to accurately, efficiently, and quickly report work done in the field," says Mark A. Heck, Global rail business director. OptiWorkOrder works with Nexterna's OptiTrac GPS-tracking application and On Board Computer to support real-time shipment tracking.

"Because it is wireless, OptiWorkOrder solves the 'after the fact' reporting limitation imposed by an office-based, direct-connect system," Heck says. "Typically, work is reported at the end of a shift by faxing the paperwork to a clerk. It's then keyed into the host car management system. These reporting processes do not provide the level of timeliness, data integrity, and accuracy required in today's railroad business environment.