LB Foster flood monitoring system installed along Class 1 railroad

Written by David C. Lester, Editor-in-Chief
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LB Foster’s new flood monitoring system for railroads
LB Foster

The LB Foster Flood Monitoring System is far more sophisticated than it looks at first glance. The simple design of the inline flood pole makes the technology appear more like a depth pole than what it truly is inside and out – a powerful, revolutionary wireless remote system.

The LB Foster system system is designed to detect water levels in flood-prone areas and eliminate derailments due to flooding. It is unique in many ways, starting with the ability to identify exact water levels down to the inch. The battery-powered pole offers the ability to set alarms at varied depths up to 36 inches. Alarms are designed to go off at customized depths based on customer-determined levels. Once an alarm is set off by water reaching the customized level, nearby solar-powered cameras are triggered to zoom in for a live view on the area where the alert is coming from. The live feed is then delivered immediately to the customer via our communication web portal.

A view of the live camera feed that is delivered via LB Foster’s communication web portal taken during a system test. Photo courtesy LB Foster.

“Currently, systems are installed along Class I rail lines where simulated flood tests show impressive results, alerting our customer within two minutes from the start of water testing to the alarm being delivered digitally,” said Michael O’Connell, Manager of Technology Sales. “This system provides customers the opportunity to act very quickly to avoid derailments on the line in the case of flooding.”

LB Foster’s contracting partner, Lumietri, were integral in getting the system up and running. 

While many flood detecting devices out there today use some sort of float mechanism, this revolutionary system has both sophisticated external sensing and internal advanced technology. The common systems out there today live in water and require a lot of maintenance as they are prone to sediment buildup. This pole purely relies on external sensing, providing longevity and efficient maintenance over time.

An LBFoster press release.

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