Holland's contract testing vehicles (TrackSTAR®) will simultaneously collect track geometry, track strength, and rail profile measurement data to provide a comprehensive assessment of your track condition, providing insights on continued safe operation and helping to direct you to the most effective use of your maintenance and capital funds. Our TrackSTAR® fleet allow the flexibility to provide testing services to any Class 1, regional, short line, transit, passenger and industrial railroad throughout North America. An experienced certified two-person team is fully trained in on-track safety, operates each testing vehicle. With testing speeds of up to 35 mph, our vehicles can test over 100 miles of track in one day. We provide everything from one-day testing services to multi-year term programs and can customize programs and solutions to fit your needs.
Track Geometry
TrackSTAR® vehicles measure all industry-standard track geometry parameters including track gauge, horizontal and vertical alignment, left and right surface, cross-level, twist and warp. The information gained from rail geometry testing helps to maintain track to standards, locate exceptions before they become serious problems, organize repairs on a priority basis and prevent derailments.
Rail Profile
Our testing vehicles use lasers and cameras to measure more than 300 points on the rail surface for a full rail profile assessment and rail cant. In combination with our post-processing software Rangecam, we can provide rail wear analysis and rail replacement forecasting. Rail profile information helps classifying rail by size and wear, planning long-range rail replacement, evaluation of grinding effectiveness, locating areas of accelerated wear for maximizing rail life.
Track Gauge Strength
We use a patented split load axle system that applies constant and consistent vertical and lateral loading to the rail during testing.
Our testing vehicles measure track gauge twice – first, unloaded gauge is measured at the front of the test vehicle statically, then loaded gauge is measured at the load axle near the center of the vehicle dynamically. Holland's patented Axle Performance Evaluation System assures consistent gauge strength testing to industry and FRA standards.
Track gauge strength testing can improve track safety and provides important information to help in crosstie replacement planning.Benefits include locating weak gauge that affect safe movement of trains, identifying clusters of weak ties or broken fasteners, and can be an effective long-term planning tool for track maintenance.
Find out what TrackSTAR® vehicle is the right fit for your track below:
For these lines, we recommend the Holland 400-series GRMS TrackSTAR® unit, which is the largest of our fleet.
Learn more about this unit >
Unit Provides
This Unit Provides:
Full geometry and profile readings, loaded gauge, strength testing. This unit can also find broken spikes and fasteners that can lead to derailments.
Load Axle
400-Series Load Axle Capabilities
The load axle on these vehicles can apply up to 15,000-pound vertical and 10,000-pound lateral loads to the track, generating L/V ratios between 0.5 and 1.25, depending on the actual applied loads.
Load Axle Cont'd
400-Series Load Axle
Loadings such as these, which replicate the type of loading that poorly performing vehicles are likely to generate, provide a truer picture of what the track actually “sees” under explicit traffic conditions.
We recommend 400/650
Short Lines
For these lines, we recommend the Holland 400-series or 650-series TrackSTAR® unit
Learn more about each of these units >
400 Unit Provides
Our 400-Series Unit Provides:
Full geometry and profile readings, loaded gauge, strength testing. This unit can also find broken spikes and fasteners that can lead to derailments.
400-Series Load Axle
400 - Series Load Axle Capabilities
The load axle on these vehicles can apply up to 15,000-pound vertical and 10,000-pound lateral loads to the track, generating L/V ratios between 0.5 and 1.25, depending on the actual applied loads. Loadings such as these, which replicate the type of loading that poorly performing vehicles are likely to generate, provide a truer picture of what the track actually “sees” under explicit traffic conditions.
650-Series Provides
650-Series Provides:
Track geometry and rail profile measurement data along with track strength information
650-Series Load Axle
650-Series
Proprietary lightweight load axle in a medium duty package
We recommend 400/491
Passenger and Transit Lines
For these lines, we recommend the Holland 400-series TrackSTAR® units or 491 Transit Testing Vehicle (TTV)
Click on the arrows to learn more about each of these units
400 Unit Provides
Our 400-Series Unit Provides:
Full geometry and profile readings, loaded gauge, strength testing. This unit can also find broken spikes and fasteners that can lead to derailments.
400-Series Load Axle
The load axle on these vehicles can apply up to 15,000-pound vertical and 10,000-pound lateral loads to the track, generating L/V ratios between 0.5 and 1.25, depending on the actual applied loads. Loadings such as these, which replicate the type of loading that poorly performing vehicles are likely to generate, provide a truer picture of what the track actually “sees” under explicit traffic conditions.
491 Provides
491 Transit Testing Vehicle Provides:
Full geometry and rail profile readings as well as gauge face angle. Light load axle gives loaded gauge/strength testing that can identify poor ties and fasteners.
491 Designed
491 Transit Testing Vehicle (TTV)
This unit is designed specifically to accommodate the unique conditions on transit systems including broad gauge, tight clearances, and tight-radius curves (up to 70 degrees).
We recommend 400/650
Industrial Facility Tracks
For these lines, we recommend the Holland 650-series TrackSTAR® unit or Track Inspector as a service.
Learn more about each of these services >
650-Series Provides
650-Series Provides:
Track geometry and rail profile measurement data along with track strength information
650-Series Load Axle
650-Series
Proprietary lightweight load axle in a medium duty package
English
French
Portuguese
Spanish
