Track failure causes multiple catastrophic derailments each year. Fortunately, failure can be predicted and prevented by leveraging the relationship between track weakness and its deflection under a known load—such as a rail car full of coal. During my junior and senior years at UNL, I designed, assembled, and tested a track deflection measurement system that exploited this relation, resulting in technology that is currently under patent review, and a Federal Railroad Association Research Results paper.

Relevant Skills and Concepts

+ CAD Modeling
+ Design Strategies for Extreme Environments (vibration, dust, moisture, extreme temperatures)
+ Computer Vision
+ Knowledge of Federal Railroad Association Regulations