Railway Metrics & Dynamics in meeting at the Government Offices

As part of the government’s efforts to improve Swedish transportation infrastructure, Infrastructure and Housing Minister Andreas Carlson invited industry stakeholders to discuss how maintenance can be carried out more efficiently. The theme of the meeting was “Digitization and AI for more efficient and purposeful maintenance of transport infrastructure.”

The purpose of the meeting, which also involved the Swedish Transport Administration, was to discuss the current state of the industry, technological possibilities, and to hear from companies like ours how we approach digital solutions, machine learning, and AI.

Digitization enables more efficient maintenance

Preventive maintenance extends the lifespan of infrastructure. To plan and execute this work efficiently, continuous data collection and interpretation regarding the status of the infrastructure are essential.

Railway Metrics and Dynamics has a cloud-based system that collects, interprets, and visualizes data in real-time. It is based on patented sensor technology, machine learning, and AI.

– With our technology, disruptions on the tracks as well as faults on locomotives or wagons are instantly registered. This gives you time to act before it’s too late. Subsequently, the same technology enables you to plan maintenance work well in advance, says Jan Lindqvist, CEO of Railway Metrics and Dynamics.

– This is also a safety issue. When damages are reported the moment they occur, the train driver can act immediately. Damaged wagons can be taken aside so that the train can continue with minimal delay. Derailments and costly damages can be avoided.

– The same data can also be used by traffic management and infrastructure management. The damage can then be rectified with as few traffic disruptions as possible. Minor damages are detected before they become serious, and proper maintenance can be efficiently planned.

Important dialogue

– These conversations are very important to us. The industry is now facing the change that we have been working towards for over a decade,” says Jan Lindqvist.

The meeting was initiated by Minister Andreas Carlson, followed by presentations by Malin Holen, Maintenance Director of the Swedish Transport Administration, and Jon Sundh, Head of the Railway System Department. After brief presentations by the attending companies, an open discussion, led by the minister, took place.

– It feels good that Railway Metrics and Dynamics can share our knowledge and experiences in a forum like this. We, in the industry, must chart the way forward together. The technology is already here – we just need to start implementing it correctly, says Jan Lindqvist.

One of Railway Metrics and Dynamics proposals was that railway companies that actually use sensors, and provide data to the Swedish Transport Administration, should receive lower track fees.

– Our proposal was highly appreciated. Such an incentive would drive the digitization effort and create broad impact in a shorter time, concludes Jan Lindqvist.

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