The device of infra-red video camera with radar-based system will be fitted on trains.
Eager to enhance visibility of loco drivers during bad weather, railways has firmed an action plan to install a device of infra-red video camera with radar-based system on locomotives.
Aptly named Tri-Netra, the device aims to enhance the vision of locomotive pilots in inclement weather. According to a senior railway ministry official, the terrain imaging for diesel drivers infra-red, enhanced optical and radar assisted system (Tri-Netra) will be a great help for train operation during winter and heavy rain.
The system shall be made up of high-resolution optical video camera, high sensitivity infra-red video camera and additionally a radar-based terrain mapping system.
These three components of the system shall act as three eyes (Tri-Netra) of the locomotive pilot.
It is designed to see the terrain ahead of the running locomotive during inclement weather by combining the images captured by the three sub-systems and to create a composite video image which shall be displayed in front of the Loco Pilot on a computer monitor.
During fog, heavy rain and also during night, the locomotive pilots face serious challenges in looking out ahead to spot any obstruction on the track such as vehicles which get stuck while crossing the track or trees or boulders which have fallen across the track.
Because of the heavy momentum of the running train, the train driver has to always adjust the speed of the train such that he or she can stop the train on visually seeing the obstruction.
In fair weather and in daytime, this is not a problem since train driver has a clear view of the track ahead. But in poor visibility, he has to reduce the speed suitably so that the brakes can be applied in time to stop the train without hitting the obstructions.
This is where Tri-netra will come into being and give the locomotive pilot a clear view of the track ahead in bad visibility conditions so that he can apply brakes well in time.
Conversely, he can speed up the train even in poor visibility if the system shows that the track ahead is clear of obstruction. The system shall also map the terrain ahead so that the driver knows when he is approaching a station or a signal.
The concept of Tri-netra was developed in railways while brainstorming on how to use the technology employed by fighter aircraft to see through clouds and operate in pitch darkness and the technology used by naval ships in mapping the ocean floor and navigating in the night.
Railways has issued expression of interest for the developing the system and many companies from Israel, Finland, USA and Austria have expressed interest to do the same.