Axle counter

An axle counter is a system used in railway signalling to

detect the clear or occupied status of a section of track between
two points. The system generally consists of a wheel sensor
(one for each end of the section) and an evaluation unit for
counting the axles of the train both into and out of the section.
They are often used to replace a track circuit.

Principles and operation

An axle counter consists of a sensor, which detects the
individual axles of a train by mechanical, electrical or even An axle counter detection point in the UK
fibre optic method, and an evaluator which counts the axles
passing into and out of a rail section. The evaluator may also
convert the analogue signal of the axle sensor into a digital
signal. However, in some cases there is a separate unit which
performs this task.

The system is set up by having an axle counter sensor installed

at each end of a section. As each train axle passes the axle
counter sensor at the start of the section, a counter increments.
An axle counter sensor comprises two independent sensors (so
the device can detect the direction and speed of a train by the
order and time in which the sensors are passed). As the train A modern type of axle counter
passes a similar axle counter sensor at the end of the section,
the system compares count at the end of the section with that
recorded at the beginning. If the two counts are the same, the
section is presumed to be clear.

This process is carried out by safety-critical centrally located

computers, called "evaluators", with the axle counter sensors
located at the required sites in the field. The axle counter sensors
are either connected to the evaluator via dedicated copper cable or
via a telecommunications transmission system. That allows the axle
counter sensors to be located a significant distance from the
evaluator, and is useful when using centralised interlocking Axle counter for automatic railway
equipment, but less so when signalling equipment is situated beside crossing (Slovenia)
the line in equipment cabinets.

Applications

Track vacancy detection

Railway signalling
The most common use for axle counters is in railway signalling for track vacancy detection. It is a form of
block signalling, which does not permit two trains to be within the same section of track (block) at the same
time. Block signalling decreases the chance of collision, because dividing the track into blocks ensures
there is always enough space between trains to allow one to stop before it hits one in front.[1]

Railway crossings

Axle counters are also used to switch on and switch off warning equipment at level crossings, closing the
crossing to pedestrian and motor vehicles when the presence of a train is detected, and allowing them to
open when the train has passed over the crossing.[2]

Switch protection in rail yards

Axle counters are used in rail yards to detect train cars as they are sorted. Axle counters are placed on the
track before each switch and on each track that exits the switch. Rail yard management software uses
occupancy data from the axle counters to lock switches and prevent cars from being routed to tracks that
are occupied by other cars.

Advantages
Unlike traditional track circuits, axle counters do not require insulated rail joints to be installed. This avoids
breaking the continuity of long sections of welded rail to allow insulated joints to be inserted.

Electrified Railways

Axle counters are particularly useful on electrified railways as they eliminate the need for traction bonding
and impedance bonds. Axle counters require no bonding and less cabling in comparison to track circuits,
and are therefore generally less expensive to install and maintain.

Insulated Rail Joints

Axle counters eliminate most railjoints (IRJ) which are a weak point on the track.

Railhead Contamination

Axle counters do not suffer problems with railhead contamination due to rust, grease or compacted leaf
residue. Sometimes a train puts down anti-slip sand to aid deceleration while braking, but the sand
contaminates the rail and the track circuit stops working. Axle counters are immune to those problems
because they do not rely on the contact of wheel with the rail head to provide an electrical circuit.

Better Performance in Wet Conditions

Axle counters are used in wet tunnels (such as the Severn Tunnel), where ordinary track circuits are
unreliable. Axle counters are also useful on steel structures (such as the Forth Bridge), which may prevent
the normal operation of track circuits if insulating the rails from the structure proves impracticable. Axle
counters are also useful on long sections where the need for several intermediate track circuits may be
saved. An axle counter can go up to around 10,000 metres (33,000 ft) from the evaluation unit when
connected directly. However, with the addition of an Ethernet network, the distance is limited by the
transmission system.

Disadvantages
For various reasons, such as a power failure, axle counters may 'forget' how many axles are in a section. A
manual override is therefore necessary to reset the system. This manual override introduces the human
element which may be unreliable. An accident which occurred in the Severn Tunnel is thought to have
been due to the improper restoration of an axle counter. That was not proven during the subsequent inquiry,
however. In older installations, the evaluators may use 8-bit logic, causing numeric overflow when a train
with 256 or more axles passes the axle counter. As a result, that train would not be detected. That imposes a
length limit of 255 axles on each train.[3] More modern systems are not restricted by train wheel numbers.

Turnouts

Where there are interlocked turnouts, an axle counter unit needs to be provided for each leg of that turnout.
On lines with non-interlocked/hand-operated switches, detection of the switch points would have to be
monitored separately, whereas on track-circuited lines misaligned points can be set to automatically break
the track circuit.

Broken rails

A track circuit system does facilitate the detection of many, but not all, kinds of broken rails, though only to
a limited extent in AC traction areas, and not in the common rail in DC traction areas. By contrast, axle
counters cannot detect broken rails at all. Ordinary track circuits do have a blind spot of about a metre in
length from the wiring connections to the insulated rail joint (IRJ).

Siding and shunting movements

Axle counters have problems maintaining correct counts when train wheels stop directly on the counter
mechanism. That is known as 'wheel rock', and can prove problematic at stations or other areas where cars
are shunted, joined and divided. Also, where main lines have switches to siding, spur or loop tracks, extra
counters will need to be deployed to detect trains entering or exiting the line, whereas the same
infrastructure using track circuits needs no special attention.

In Auckland, New Zealand, axle counters have been used on all lines where track circuits are required,
except for special places where Hi Rail maintenance vehicles either on or off track. All road crossing tracks
at public level crossings are deemed to be Hi Rail access points and a short single rail DC track circuit is
used. There are also several single rail DC track circuits at places not at level crossings where Hi Rail
vehicles can access the track.

Electromagnetic brakes

Magnetic brakes are used on high speed \ higher speed trains with a maximum speed greater than 160
kilometres per hour (100 mph). These are physically large pieces of metal mounted on the bogie of the
vehicle, only a few centimetres above the track. They can sometimes be mistakenly detected by axle
counters as another axle. This can happen at only one end a track block, because of magnetic field
curvature, defects of track geometry, or other issues, leading the signalling system to become confused, and
also requiring reset of the detection memory. Modern axle counters are 'eddy current' brake-proof and the
magnetic effect of the braking system as described above is overcome, with count information remaining
stable even when a vehicle fitted with magnetic brakes is braking whilst traversing the detection point.

Installation
One method of mounting an axle counter sensor is to drill through the rail, however this is often seen as
time-consuming, as well as having the disadvantage of weakening the structure of the rail. However. it does
eliminate the need for leveling, which can help reduce maintenance costs.[4]

Another installation method is to mount the Axle Counter Sensor onto a mount which clamps to both sides
of the rail from underneath. That is quicker and easier to mount in the right conditions, but can mean more
frequent checks to ensure correct positioning is maintained.[5]

Reset and restoration

There are four methods of securing the reset and restoration of axle counters into service:

Preparatory reset — Once a preparatory reset is applied to the system, the axle counter
continues to show the section as occupied until one train movement takes place in the
section. Logically, if a train has successfully traversed the section, then the section is clear
and the axle counter is set back to unoccupied.[6]
Conditional reset — The section is reset only if the last count was in the outward direction.
This at least shows that any trains in the section at time of reset were moving out. The signal
protecting the reset section is held at occupied until a sweep or physical verification of
clearance of the track.[6]
Un-conditional reset — The section is reset irrespective of the last count action. The
protecting signals are cleared immediately after a reset. In the UK, this type of reset is used
under "Engineer's Possession Reminder" (EPR) and a series of procedures are carried out
to ensure the section of line is clear of vehicles and tools before the reset is performed.
Co-operative reset — Requires both the technician and signaller to co-operate to reset and
then restore the section into service. This type of reset is now only used on schemes which
fringe on an existing scheme which utilizes this type of reset arrangement.

Most countries use a variation of the above four methods, sometimes with varying amounts of automation
or human input.

History
Axle counting initially started with treadle-like mechanisms. They consisted of a mechanical contact device
mounted on the inside of the foot of rail; the wheel flange running over the device actuated a lever.
However, they were susceptible to errors and were replaced in Europe at the end of the 19th century by
hydraulic rail contacts.[7]

Hydraulic rail contacts were actuated by the deflection of the rail caused by axle load running over the
tracks. The first cylinders were filled with mercury; later, hydraulic oil was used. They were then replaced
by pneumatically operated switching elements.[7]
In pneumatic axle counting systems, pistons were actuated by specific loads and speeds. They proved
limited in application, and therefore from the 1950s onwards were replaced by magnetic contacts.[7] Up to
that point, track circuits always had a big edge when it came to reliability.

Magnetic contacts were the first contactless switching devices. They were known as "axle counting
magnets". The iron wheel flanges triggered an actuation by interrupting a magnetic field. The first US
patent for an axle counter, filed on 3 June 1960 by Ernst Hofstetter and Kurt Haas,[8] was for a device of
this type. During this time, inductive methods were also being produced based on transformers. During the
1970s, developments in the electronics field as well as the introduction of integrated circuits allowed the
design of the axle counters currently used.[7]

See also
Defect detector
Lists of rail accidents
Severn Tunnel rail accident (1991)
Rail inspection
Railway signalling
Track circuit
Distributed Acoustic Sensing

References
1. "The Development and Principles of UK Signalling" (https://web.archive.org/web/20141021
114417/http://www.railway-technical.com/sigtxt1.shtml). Railway Technical. Archived from
the original (http://www.railway-technical.com/sigtxt1.shtml) on October 21, 2014. Retrieved
October 21, 2014.
2. "BO23 Brochure" (https://web.archive.org/web/20141021115636/http://www.altpro.com/cont
ent/download/440/3886/.../BO23_brochure-EN.pdf) (PDF). AltPro. AltPro. Archived from the
original (http://www.altpro.com/content/download/440/3886/.../BO23_brochure-EN.pdf)
(PDF) on October 21, 2014. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
3. "* Jak zbudować niewidzialny w Szwajcarii pociąg?" (https://niebezpiecznik.pl/post/jak-zbud
owac-niewidzialny-w-szwajcarii-pociag/). Niebezpiecznik.pl. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
4. "Introduction to Tiefenbach Wheel Sensor Technology" (ftp://ftp-static.mt.com/Indmkg/Wagsta
ff/IND9R86/WD/Tiefenbach/Abridged%20System%20Install%20Training%202-10.ppt).
Tiefenbach. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
5. "Drill Free Axle Counter Mounting Bracket" (https://web.archive.org/web/20141216001138/ht
tp://www.argeniarailwaytech.com/axle-counter-bracket.html). Argenia. Archived from the
original (http://www.argeniarailwaytech.com/axle-counter-bracket.html) on December 16,
2014. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
6. "Digital Axle Counter" (https://web.archive.org/web/20160303230007/http://122.252.243.98/
Departments/snt/CAMTECH%20Notes/SSDACPart%20A%20Introduction.pdf) (PDF).
CAMTECH. April 2010. Archived from the original (http://122.252.243.98/Departments/snt/C
AMTECH%20Notes/SSDACPart%20A%20Introduction.pdf) (PDF) on March 3, 2016.
Retrieved October 21, 2014.
7. Rosenberger, Martin (2012). "Future Challenges to Axle Counting Systems" (https://web.arc
hive.org/web/20170830021652/http://www.irse.org/knowledge/publicdocuments/3.08%20Ro
senberger%20-%20Future%20challenges%20of%20axle%20counting.pdf) (PDF). IRSE.
Archived from the original (http://www.irse.org/knowledge/publicdocuments/3.08%20Rosenb
 erger%20-%20Future%20challenges%20of%20axle%20counting.pdf) (PDF) on August 30,
2017. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
8. "Axle counter for railroad installations, US 3015725 A" (https://www.google.co.uk/patents/US
3015725?dq=axle+counter&hl=en&sa=X&ei=i80zVOPgCNHnaN-1gZgI&ved=0CCgQ6AEw
AQ). Google patents.

External links
Electropedia (https://web.archive.org/web/20111109093337/http://www.electropedia.org/iev/i
ev.nsf/display?openform&ievref=821-03-41)
ARTC level crossing example . (http://extranet.artc.com.au/docs/eng/signal/procedures/desi
gn/ESI-03-02.pdf) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20200303200710/https://extranet.ar
tc.com.au/docs/eng/signal/procedures/design/ESI-03-02.pdf) 2020-03-03 at the Wayback
Machine

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Axle_counter&oldid=1176088720"