Implementation of New Feature in 'Viz-Rail' Analysis Platform for Track Maintenance - Identifying Signs of Rail Buckling with Monitoring Data

○ The JR East Group, aiming to realize the "strengthening of a transportation infrastructure with safety as the top priority" as stated in its "Yusho 2034" plan, is advancing the level of inspections and checks for the preventive maintenance of equipment failures.

○ Recently, the in-house development team "DICe" and track maintenance engineers have developed a new feature called "HARIBOU" for the track maintenance analysis platform "Viz-Rail." In the track sections where track facility monitoring devices have been introduced (approximately 70% of our entire network), this feature automatically analyzes daily monitoring data to detect signs of major rail distortion (buckling phenomenon), which rarely occurs during high summer temperatures, to prevent it from happening. Through this, we will achieve a higher level of transportation service safety.

○ We will continue such efforts in the future to aim for the construction of a sustainable facility management system.

**1. Track Maintenance Analysis Platform ~Viz-Rail~**

Since fiscal year 2018, we have been introducing track facility monitoring devices, enabling us to acquire monitoring data indicating the condition of the tracks (track displacement) on a daily basis, and the transition to CBM*1 is progressing. Therefore, starting from 2023, originating from the creativity of frontline track maintenance engineers and in collaboration with the in-house development team "DICe," we have been promoting the functional development of "Viz-Rail," a platform to support decision-making. *2 In the first and second phases, we developed functions to detect locations where track displacement data changed suddenly and to predict train vibrations. In the third phase, "HARIBOU," we have implemented a function that automatically analyzes up to 300 days of rail distortion data daily to capture signs of the rail buckling phenomenon.

Viz-Rail Phase 1-3 Function List

Development Phase | Function Name | Description ---|---|--- Phase 1 | Track Displacement Progression Tracking | A function to detect locations where progression (sudden changes in monitoring data) has occurred in the last 15 days. Phase 2 | Train Vibration Prediction | A function to predict the occurrence of train vibrations from data indicating the amount of track unevenness. Phase 3 | Sign Detection of Rail Buckling (HARIBOU) | To prevent the major rail distortion (buckling phenomenon) that rarely occurs during high summer temperatures, this function automatically analyzes up to 300 days of rail distortion data daily to find its signs.