Automated Coal Wagon Counting & Load Assessment System Proposal
Scope
To design and deploy an automated, non-contact, and industrial-grade Coal Wagon Counting & Load Assessment System capable of accurately identifying the number of wagons, coal load status per wagon, empty wagons, and associated train details in real-time.
The system uses a fusion of 3D LiDAR, distance LiDAR, and AI-based LPR cameras combined with edge-level IoT processing to operate reliably in harsh railway environments such as dust, vibration, rain, and variable lighting conditions.
This system shall enable the Customer to:
- Automatically count the total number of wagons in each train
- Identify loaded, partially loaded, and empty coal wagons
- Estimate coal fill level on a per-wagon basis using 3D profiling
- Detect train speed, direction, current position, and ETA
- Capture and associate train / locomotive number with wagon data
- Eliminate manual inspection and reduce operational errors
- Maintain a time-stamped digital record for audits and analytics
Concept Design of System
System Components & Definitions
3D LiDAR – Wagon Load Profiling Unit
| Category | Specifications / Details |
|---|---|
| Measurement Principle | - Time of Flight (ToF) based 3D depth measurement |
| Coverage | - Wide Field of View for full open-wagon scanning |
| Function | - Detects coal presence - Determines loaded / empty wagons - Estimates relative coal fill level |
| Environmental Resilience | - Weather resistant (rain, dust, fog tolerant) - High immunity to industrial noise |
| Installation | - Fixed trackside or overhead mounting |
Distance LiDAR – Speed & Wagon Detection Unit (TF02-Pro)
| Category | Specifications / Details |
|---|---|
| Ranging Type | - Single-point distance ranging |
| Functions | - Detects train speed - Determines direction of movement - Counts wagons accurately |
| Analytics Support | - Current train position - Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) |
| Reliability | - Stable performance at varying train speeds |
AI LPR Camera – Train Identification
| Category | Specifications / Details |
|---|---|
| Recognition | - AI-based locomotive / train number detection |
| Intelligence | - Black & White list support - No-plate detection |
| Imaging | - 140dB Super WDR for extreme lighting |
| Protection | - IP67 & IK10 industrial-grade enclosure |
Edge Controller – MacSync W Series
| Category | Specifications / Details |
|---|---|
| Data Acquisition | - Collects data from LiDARs & AI camera |
| Processing | - Wagon segmentation & data correlation |
| Connectivity | - Wi-Fi uplink to cloud or on-premise server |
| Reliability | - Local buffering during network outages |
Communication & Data Flow
| Stage | Details |
|---|---|
| Sensor Data Capture | - 3D LiDAR scans wagon profile - Distance LiDAR detects speed & wagon count - LPR camera captures train number |
| Edge Processing | - MacSync-W correlates wagon, load, and train data |
| Data Transmission | - Data uploaded via industrial Wi-Fi using TP-Link EAP225 |
| Data Availability | - Real-time dashboard - Historical records for reporting & analytics |