Automated Load Management and Safety Enhancement System for Railway Wagons Using IoT and RFID Technology

Because the flow of commodities is critical to the global economy, railway transportation systems are expected to operate efficiently and safely. Consistent mismanagement issues such as overloading and underloading of railway wagons pose serious threats to the stability of infrastructure, the economy, and public safety. This study provides a new technique in wagon load monitoring and management to eliminate these problems. We propose a system whereby wagon load levels are monitored through cloud analytic concepts in the Internet of Things (IoT). It will also give real-time data made available through a cloud platform by measuring changes in flow and height due to the load levels through IoT sensors and comparing with a reference unloaded wagon. This would make it proactively possible to prevent both overload and underload by promoting speedy communications between the supervisory team and the loader. This way, the data collected will ensure that wagons are loaded under safe operating parameters because it will help railway operators make well-informed decisions. Results from the project demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the system, bringing significant benefits in terms of overall operational performance, cost-effectiveness, and safety. Such improvement in railway performance will result in much better delivery in IoT-based technology since trains remain a major part of world trade. Keywords: railway transportation, overloading, undercrossing, security, infrastructure, flux measurement, spring compression analysis, Internet of Things, cloud-based analytics.