Monitoring Railway Traffic Noise

Dutch Railway Manager ProRail selects STEP-IT for development of an online computersystem for processing and presentation of noise and vibration measurements from monitoring stations.

Fitting in the "Innovatieprogramma Geluid (IPG)" (Noise Innovation Programme), noise measuring stations are being placed at a number of strategic locations along railroads. The measuring stations are able to identify different trains and wagons through a tagging system. Aim is to monitor the actual noise production of trains at these locations. In particular the noise reduction of goods and passenger trains, silenced as part of the Noise Innovation Programme, are monitored. At the same time, the stations also measure vibration levels of passing trains.

By positioning these measuring stations on various locations,

• Calculation methods can be assessed against reality;
• All trains including test vehicles from the IPG can be monitored;
• Experience is collected working with different techniques.

Project Management of the project Permanent Measuring Stations is carried out by ProRail.

ProRail manages the Dutch railway net and takes care of capacity, reliability and safety on Dutch railways.

STEP-IT has been selected by ProRail as most complete and economical tender for delivering and organizing a central system for data processing of the measurement data.
The tender fully complied to the requirements drawn by ProRail.

With the system users are enabled to use a database through internet and a user-friendly webinterface. Results of the measurement stations are updated and processed on a daily basis.

Through simple selection criteria, users may view tabular results as well as graphics. A wide spectrum of options is offered, from detailed data of a specific wagon in a train passage to monitoring categories of trains on the long term.

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