Wi-Tronix Violet installations, orders top 2,000
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief
Wi-Tronix, LLC has reached a milestone of more than 2,000 of its Violet Edge locomotive event recorders ordered or installed industry-wide.
The Violet Edge Connected Event Recorder, PTC Event Recorder and Digital Video Recorder (DVR) “are based on a robust Internet of Things (IoT) platform designed specifically for the rail industry,” Wi-Tronix notes. “Advanced technology enables remote access to synchronized information in addition to a suite of analytic tools and actionable alerts that make rail operations safer.”
The Violet Edge, introduced in 2016, is the latest version of Wi-Tronix’s “service-proven, rugged” Wi-PU. There are currently more than 12,000 Wi-PUs in service in all types of locomotives, in all types of service, across North America. The Violet Edge “breaks the traditional event recorder paradigm by combining data, video and audio, from all sources on the locomotive, into one synchronized solution. As a connected solution, the synchronized information is off-boarded from the locomotive frequently, and also upon demand or trigger event. It is secure in the cloud and easily accessible to authorized users via a web browser for incident investigation and analytics.”
The Violet Edge is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform, with hardware and software packages that enable the specific services needed for any locomotive type or specific type of service. Optional packages include Crash-Hardened Memory for FRA (Federal Railroad Administration) event recorder, AI (Artificial Intelligence)-enabled mobile phone detection, train-centric reporting and enhanced video packages to meet a variety of freight and passenger rail needs.
“The ability to see, hear, feel and experience train operation in real time from a remote location provides a best-in-class decision system. Our agile IoT solutions, analytics, alerts and video solutions combine to enable year-over-year performance gains,” said Larry Jordan, President and CTO of Wi-Tronix. “The Violet Edge actively accelerates Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR). The connected solution supports operations and asset management, fuel savings and service delivery, which are all critical to PSR.”
Wi-Tronix also supplies a broad range of energy management solutions that “maximize fuel efficiency and improve train operator performance, while providing real-time fuel level information to minimize fuel spend and inform decision making.” Wi-Tronix AI and visual analytics capabilities work in tandem with GPS, accelerometers and gyroscopes to collect and report data that automates track and infrastructure monitoring.
The Violet Edge IoT platform “enables continuous improvement with a powerful combination of connectivity, analytics, alerts and more,” the company says. “Freight and passenger railroads and transit systems are looking to Wi-Tronix for tools to meet today’s rail challenges, enhance service delivery and reduce operating expenses. The Violet Edge enables solutions now, and is expandable and adaptable for tomorrow’s challenges. Reaching 2,000 units is its latest milestone.”
