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A comment on The axle count of trains in Switzerland must not be a multiple of 2^8. Parent comment

Re:The axle count of trains in Switzerland must not be a mul... by andyv133 on Monday July 11, 2016 @12:11PM (#12072053)
Although not all rail systems in all countries use axle counters for presence detection. In the US freight industry we use track circuits - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Track_circuit
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Re:The axle count of trains in Switzerland must not be a mul... by Symbiote on Monday July 11, 2016 @01:13PM (#12072555)
That's not a replacement, that's the older technology.

Axle counting guarantees that there isn't a detached, derailed wagon fouling the line, or a wagon with dirty wheels which aren't completing the track circuit.

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Re:The axle count of trains in Switzerland must not be a mul... by andyv133 on Monday July 11, 2016 @01:45PM (#12072818)
Nonetheless, it is what is used on freight lines in the U.S quite successfully, and provides other protections such as broken rail detection.

Detached cars are detected using the FRED/braking system, and secondarily by axle counts given by hot box detectors read over the radio.

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