What is Component Tracking?
Component Tracking is a multi‑phase program that captures data about railcar equipment components and provides visibility into their current health and history. This data improves safety, productivity, and maintenance planning.
Why was Component Tracking developed?
It was developed to improve safety, reduce the scope of equipment recalls, and make recall management more effective by capturing and validating component details and mileage information.
What are the benefits of Component Tracking?
Component Tracking enables users to review component health and history, identify wear or failure trends, and support more targeted recalls.
• Helps improve safety
• Supports better productivity
• Reduces costs associated with recalls
Who uses Component Tracking?
Wheel shops, repair shops, equipment owners, reconditioners, classifiers, OEMs and third‑party software providers use Component Tracking to review component health, plan maintenance and support recall processes.
How do wheel shops benefit from Component Tracking?
Wheel shops can access higher quality wheelset data, improve planning and supply chain management and review tagged wheelsets.
How do repair shops benefit from Component Tracking?
Repair shops can improve maintenance planning, apply registered wheelsets, reconcile work through daily reports and review wheelset details.
How do equipment owners benefit from Component Tracking?
Equipment owners can improve productivity, make informed fleet decisions, validate billing and plan maintenance more effectively.
How do reconditioners and classifiers benefit from Component Tracking?
Reconditioners and classifiers can access higher quality component data, seed new registrations and review tagged components.
How do OEMs benefit from Component Tracking?
OEMs can request special reports on component data, gain insight into component quality and failure rates and issue more effective recalls.
How does Component Tracking support manufacturers and railroads?
Manufacturers gain insight into failure rates, while railroads benefit from improved safety, greater reliability and fewer incidents caused by component issues.
Is Component Tracking a new Railinc system?
No. It is an ongoing program that leverages existing Railinc systems such as Umler, CRB and EHMS.
What confidentiality protections apply to component data?
Railinc maintains confidentiality by limiting access based on user role while allowing safety‑related visibility.
• Users can access historical data only for the specific components they refurbish
• High‑level benchmark data is publicly available for industry use
How does component data support more effective recalls?
Component data enables more targeted recalls by identifying equipment with components that match recall criteria and providing this information to the AAR.
How does component data improve alerts?
Mileage‑based summaries and alerts give users a clearer view of equipment health.
• Helps prevent unnecessary alerts for components experiencing normal wear
• Supports better predictions of component time to failure
How does Component Tracking affect freight movement?
Visibility into component health helps ensure the right equipment stays in service longer and reduces unnecessary removals from service.
Are companies required to use Component Tracking?
Yes. Industry rules require manufacturers, wheel shops, repair shops, equipment owners, reconditioners, classifiers and OEMs to use Component Tracking functionality.
Who develops the rules and standards for Component Tracking?
Industry representatives including railroads, shops, equipment owners, manufacturers, committees and the AAR develop the rules. Railinc communicates any rule changes.
Does Railinc provide training for Component Tracking?
Yes. Training materials, demos and technical documentation are available through Component Tracking resources.
What are Component Tracking Wheelsets?
They are part of the first program phase and include centralized wheelset component registration and tracking of wheelset applications and repairs through Umler, CRB and EHMS.
How do Component Tracking Wheelsets support future phases?
The wheelset foundation supports adding new component types such as castings, brake systems and appurtenances.
How do Wheelsets interact with existing Railinc systems?
Wheelset details are registered in Umler and application or repair information is submitted through Umler, CRB and EHMS.
• Umler stores confidential component data
• CRB and EHMS support submission of application and repair information
What are Component Tracking Side Frames, Bolsters and Couplers?
They were part of the second program phase and include centralized registration and association of these components through Umler and CRB.
How do Side Frames, Bolsters and Couplers interact with existing Railinc systems?
Users register components in Umler and report associations or repairs through Umler and CRB.
• Umler stores confidential component details
• CRB supports submission of association and repair information