Wireless Rail Joint Integrity Monitoring

RailBug

Stand-alone (no gateway)

Long battery life

Easy Installation

Compact Design

Wireless Rail Joint Integrity Monitoring​

RailBug is a self-contained, wireless sensor for rail joints, fishplates, and clamps. Using onboard accelerometers and gyroscopes, it automatically wakes as trains pass to detect early signs of bolt loosening and joint degradation.

Compact, robust, and non-intrusive, it installs in minutes without altering existing hardware, streaming data directly to the cloud for real-time analysis and alerts through the GDN® portal.

Key Benefits of RailBug

Enhanced Safety

RailBug provides early detection of issues, allowing maintenance teams to act before failures occur, supporting safer, more efficient rail operations.

Reduce Manual Inspections

By removing the need for routine trackside visits and visual checks, RailBug directly supports ‘boots-off-ballast’, improving workforce safety and operational efficiency.

Lower Maintenance Costs

Continuous remote monitoring helps operators transition from reactive to predictive maintenance, avoiding the risk of costly failures and emergency repairs.

Improved Network Reliability

Maintaining joint integrity minimises the risk of speed restrictions, service delays, and unplanned outages, keeping rail networks running smoothly and reliably.

Key Benefits of RailBug

The RailBug Advantage: Continuous, Stand-Alone Track Monitoring

Rail joints are critical points of failure. Constant vibration, thermal cycles, and dynamic loads cause them to fail over time. Traditional manual inspections are infrequent and labour-intensive, while other monitoring solutions can be complex and intrusive.

RailBug eliminates these challenges with a superior, feature-packed approach. Our compact, self-contained device is engineered for simplicity and effectiveness, providing a smarter way to monitor your network.

Stand-Alone, Gateway-Free Operation
Non-Intrusive, Retrofit-Friendly Installation

Key Features of the RailBug® Solution:

Stand-Alone, Gateway-Free Operation

RailBug is a complete sensing and communication unit. It transmits data directly to the cloud via secure cellular networks, eliminating the need for additional gateways, or complex trackside infrastructure. This simplifies deployment and reduces the total cost of ownership.

Non-Intrusive, Retrofit-Friendly Installation

The device attaches magnetically in minutes, requiring no bolt instrumentation, preload interference, or alteration to existing hardware. This allows for rapid, network-wide deployment without compromising the integrity of the joint.

Dynamic Activation & Real-Time Monitoring

RailBug intelligently wakes as trains pass, capturing high-fidelity inertial data through built-in accelerometers and gyroscopes. This provides real-time, event-based monitoring of joint integrity without manual intervention.

Cloud-Based Data Processing with AI

Data is seamlessly transferred to the GDN®, Transmission Dynamics’ intelligent data portal. Here, AI-driven algorithms analyse the signals to accurately detect and classify the early signs of loosening, enabling true predictive maintenance.

Instant Alerts for Immediate Action via SMS/Email

Receive proactive SMS and email notifications the moment a potential issue is detected. This ensures key personnel can respond rapidly to maintain safety and schedule maintenance, without delay.

Zero-Maintenance Design

An ultra-low-power design ensures long battery life from a rechargeable cell, delivering years of maintenance-free performance in the most demanding rail environments.

By delivering continuous, data-driven insights without intrusive installation or added hardware complexity, RailBug directly supports the industry’s ‘boots off ballast’ ambition. It enhances safety, enables proactive maintenance, and provides a clear, scalable path to modernised rail infrastructure monitoring.

How RailBug Keeps You Ahead of Failures

Our process is designed for simplicity and effectiveness from installation to insight.

1. Install

RailBug attached magnetically in minutes. No bolt instrumentation, wiring, or modification to existing components is required. 

2. Detect

As trains pass, RailBug automatically activates, using onboard accelerometers and gyroscopes to capture inertial data of the condition of the rail joint. 

3. Analyse

Immediate, actionable alerts via the GDN® portal are sent if loosening is detected, allowing for pre-emptive maintenance. 

Railbug Installation

The Power of the GDN® Data Portal

RailBug seamlessly integrates with our data portal, the GDN®. Accessible from any internet-enabled device, the GDN® provides stakeholders with immediate, intuitive access to data. The platform is powered by AI-based machine learning models, developed in-house by our team of data scientists, to deliver the best in predictive analytics and real-time alerts. 

The GDN® comes with a powerful API, enabling you to plug RailBug data directly into your own existing systems and software for a unified operational view. 

A user shown accessing the GDN® Data Analysis AI Portal using a tablet
RailBug GDN operation
Predictive Maintenance in Mining

RailBug Technical Specifications

Size

86 x 50 x 15 mm

Weight

100g

Power Supply

Battery, rechargeable (USB C)

Operating Temp. Range

-40° to +85° (0° to 45° while charging)

Ingress Protection

IP67

Sensors

3 Axis Accelerometer, Gyroscope

Built on Proven Expertise - Trains with Brains®

Trains with Brains overview

RailBug is part of Transmission Dynamics’ Trains with Brains® portfolio; a suite of intelligent, AI-driven monitoring systems trusted by railway operators worldwide.

This extensive experience ensures that RailBug is designed from the ground up to meet the rigorous standards of the rail industry, providing a dependable and trusted solution for safeguarding your critical infrastructure.

Part of the Transmission Dynamics Ecosystem

PANDAS-V®

This advanced system revolutionises rail industry practices by offering affordable and scalable remote condition monitoring solutions for electrified train pantographs and overhead lines.  By addressing maintenance challenges and enhancing efficiency, PANDAS-V transforms rail operations and sets new standards for monitoring and maintenance in the industry.

Smart Oil Plug®

The Smart Oil Plug® is an innovative technology designed for the railroad industry, providing real-time monitoring of final drives and transmissions via wireless data transmission, detecting various parameters like temperature, vibrations, oil debris, and more, while offering extended maintenance intervals and global data access.

PANDAS-3R®

PANDAS-3R® offers patented ultra-miniature wireless accelerometer technology for real-time data on train shoe gear impacts, boosting maintenance efficiency, ensuring safety, and embracing the future of rail maintenance.

Ready to Transform Your Rail Integrity Monitoring?

Join the forefront of rail infrastructure innovation. See how RailBug® can enhance the safety, efficiency, and reliability of your network.

    To top