Rail Car Identification with OCR and RFID at Rail Terminals

As more containers move by rail, terminals need to know exactly which wagon and container is on which track and in which position. Doing that by walking the train is slow and risky. This article explains how rail car identification with OCR and RFID works, from reading wagon and container numbers to recording the sequence of cars on each track.

What rail car identification means

Rail car identification is the automatic capture of each wagon and container on a train: its number, type and size, its position on the train and the track it is on. The result is a digital train consist that the terminal can use to plan unloading, loading and yard moves.

Container and wagon identification with OCR

A rail OCR portal is installed at the entry and exit tracks of a terminal or intermodal facility. Rugged high-resolution cameras with pulsed LED lighting capture each wagon and container as the train passes, and container code recognition software reads the ISO numbers.

RFID tags on rail cars

RFID tags fixed to rail cars are read by trackside readers. Combined with OCR of the wagon number and existing wagon data, they confirm the type, size and capacity of each car. RFID is a useful backup when numbers are dirty or damaged.

Track number and car sequence

A string of wheel counters, RFID readers and system logic records the track number and the order of cars on each track. Rail OCR systems can form a closed loop around all tracks of an intermodal or on-dock rail facility, so every container and rail car is tracked from arrival to departure.

1. Train arrives and passes the entry portal.
2. OCR and RFID identify each wagon and container.
3. Wheel counters confirm the order of cars.
4. Data goes to the server and is matched with load lists and manifests.
5. Exceptions are checked by an operator using the captured images.

Sharing data with terminal systems

Identification results go to a central server, where several client applications can use them for recording and further processing. Linking with terminal load lists and manifests also improves recognition performance. For more, read how train OCR portals read wagons and containers and intermodal rail OCR. Explore our railway OCR portal solutions.

Rail car identification: common questions