Wheel Impact Load Detector

The hardened electronics used in WILD IV (Wheel Impact Load Detector) accurately measures and collects data of loads and impacts translated onto the rail caused by wheels via the rail-mounted strain gauges and front-end processors.

The WILD IV is one of a range of products in our Total Track Monitoring suite, providing comprehensive solutions for rail safety and efficiency.

A report published in 2019 by the FRA showed that by implementing WILD IVs and utilizing them to inform wheel maintenance, a major U.S. Transit agency extended the lifespan of its wheelsets by over 20% in a single year, with an estimated savings of $1.6M annually.

View external resource: FRA Office of Safety Analysis 2019 report.

The data is an essential component of any performance-based wheel management program, the WILD continually monitors rail vehicle health to ensure safe and productive train operations. WILD systems evaluate millions of wheels per day throughout the international rail industry with proven accuracy and reliability.

Key Features

1. Precision Monitoring: The WILD IV (Wheel Impact Load Detector) uses precision strain gauges to measure wheel impacts, imbalances, weight, and speed as they pass the detector. This ensures accurate and reliable data collection essential for maintaining rail integrity.

2. Comprehensive Data Reporting: Capable of reporting train weight and speed, wheel impacts, lateral forces, and truck hunting, the WILD IV provides detailed insights into rail conditions.

3. Real-Time Alerts: The integrated Wheel Data Management System (WDMS) allows users to configure and manage alarms, designate personnel to receive real-time alerts, and review the health status of the system. This immediate feedback helps in preventing infrastructure damage and reducing train delays.

4. Advanced Diagnostics: Equipped with self-diagnostic features, the WILD IV (Wheel Impact Load Detector) ensures that any issues within the system are promptly identified and addressed, maintaining optimal performance at all times.

Wheel Impact Load Detector Applications

The WILD IV is utilized across various sectors within the rail industry, including:

Freight Rail

The system is ideal for detecting high-impact forces caused by heavy loads, ensuring the longevity of rail infrastructure and preventing derailments.

Class I Wheel Related Derailments by Year 

Data provided by the FRA Office of Safety Analysis shows that adoption of WILD products on a class I freight agency’s network correlated with a decrease in wheel and weight related derailments from 13.5 to 5.2 annually.

The Wheels, Axles, Bearings, & Lubrication Committee – known as WABL – establishes standards to certify and monitor new rail equipment. When dealing with other agency’s train cars, products must be certified by WABL to be used to inform railroads that cars need maintenance. 

WILD products were the basis for and satisfy all WABL requirements related to wheel defect identification and removal, which authorizes railroads to pass the cost of wheel replacement done in the field back to car owners. 

Transit Rail

Enhances passenger comfort by identifying and addressing wheel defects that cause noise and vibration.

The WILD is a critical component of optimized wheel maintenance. As opposed to wheel maintenance based on time or distance intervals, defects can be identified as soon as they appear, allowing trains to be left in service longer. 

Another benefit of targeted wheel defect removal is its effect on noise & vibration. One of the most common complaints of passenger rail riders is a loud, bumpy ride. Often, these discomforts are caused by poor wheel condition. 

L.B. Foster is currently partnered with a major Transit agency to quantify the effects of optimized wheel maintenance on noise & vibration, to better inform users of when a wheel is creating an issue for riders, and what sort of improvement in ride quality they can expect by conducting wheel maintenance. 

Industrial Rail

Provides critical data for optimizing wheelset maintenance and preventing penalties associated with overload and imbalance at transfer points.

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