The Derail Light Is Solving One of Freight Rail’s Biggest Problems

The Derail Light Is Solving One of Freight Rail’s Biggest Problems

There is no doubt that a derailment is a major issue for a rail yard.

For starters, when a yard has a derailment, their reputation within the industry will take a hit. In an industry like that of freight rail, your name and reputation is everything, making these accidents a huge deal.  But perhaps more importantly than anything, a derailment comes with financial implications that could, in a word, derail a yard’s bottom line.

Best case scenario, a derailment will cost a rail yard something in the $5,000 to $10,000 range. But more often than not, a major derailment could come with a $50,000 price tag — at minimum — if the ties and hardware of the train car, the rail and everything else in its path are damaged.

derail light

Then there is all the hassle of waiting for sidewinders to come and push the derailed rail cars out of the way. If time is of essence and there is a derailed railcar stuck and blocking the main lines, the yard will often have the car bulldozed and destroyed to keep the system from shutting down for what could be multiple days. This not only affects the rail yard, but the community and its businesses at large.

Focused Technology Solutions’ Derail Light was created and developed to avoid situations like these from ever happening again.  There is no fool-proof, magic device to prevent accidents, but the Derail Light’s smart safety technology is the only device on the market that keeps mistakes due to human error to a minimum.

Developed in partnership with Focused Technology and Railserve, the Derail Light detects the position of the derail to help prevent accidents. It flashes a blue light when the derail is engaged so railroaders can see it at all times of day.

A Regional Leader of Operations at Railserve, Jason Smith, said:

“The Derail Light provides an extra layer of engineered protection that previously did not exist in the industry. People can see it clear as day in the daytime, at night, in the fog and even in winter conditions.

“I truly do believe that this is going to revolutionize the industry to reduce impact on employees and customer assets.”

The Derail Light’s cloud-based interface allows for automatic monitoring and reporting with any smart device. It also provides rail yards flexibility since it is compatible with both sliding and hinge derails.

The device is also eco-friendly, battery-operated, and solar rechargeable, fitting perfectly into Focused Technology’s product catalog as Class I railroads look to lower their carbon footprint.

To learn more about the revolutionary Derail Light, click here.

This article was originally published by Focused Technology Solutions.

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