Component Tracking FAQs
What is Component Tracking?
Component Tracking is a multi-phase, multi-year program to create an industry process and related technology tools for capturing data around railcar equipment components. The ability to view railcar component health data improves safety through the identification of failure trends and a more effective recall process, improves productivity by ensuring that the right equipment stays in service for longer periods, and reduces costs associated with maintenance planning and component recalls.
Why was Component Tracking developed?
Safety is a top priority for the rail industry, which historically has issued expansive recalls to ensure the removal of faulty equipment from service. The result: time-consuming, complicated and costly recalls. Component Tracking leverages existing systems to capture component data, validate component existence, incorporate mileage information and provide visibility into the current health status of equipment and an initial level of visibility into the health-related history of equipment. This information helps industry participants expedite more effective recall management, improve maintenance planning and make informed repair decisions, lowering costs and improving safety.
What are the benefits of Component Tracking?
Component Tracking gives repair shops, equipment owners, reconditioners, classifiers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) visibility into equipment and component health status and history, enabling them to identify wear and failure trends as well as defective components. This visibility delivers three primary benefits:
1. Safety: The rail industry achieves greater visibility into the current and historical health status of rail equipment at the component level, enabling users of Railinc’s Umler and Car Repair Billing (CRB) systems to identify failure trends, improve the recall process and improve rail safety.
2. Productivity: Tracking information on wheelsets, side frames, bolsters and couplers from manufacture to application means that recalls are issued faster and with greater confidence that only components with identified safety issues are included. With more effective recalls, the right equipment stays in service for longer periods.
3. Reduced Costs: The capability provided through Component Tracking ensures more targeted recalls and reduces administrative burdens associated with recalls. Industry participants benefit from the reduced costs associated with this recall process.
Who uses Component Tracking?
Wheel shops, repair shops, equipment owners, reconditioners, classifiers, OEMs and third‑party software providers use Component Tracking to access higher quality data, manage repairs, plan maintenance, validate billing, seed component registrations and integrate registry capabilities.
How do other rail industry participants benefit?
All rail industry participants benefit from Component Tracking.
• American Association of Railroads (AAR) subscribers are able to receive notifications on which cars and components are affected by recalls.
• Manufacturers gain greater insight into the quality and failure rate of the components they produce and will be able to issue smaller, more effective recalls.
• Railroads benefit from improved safety and reliability of equipment in service, and a decrease in the number of incidents that lead to property and rail damage.
Is Component Tracking a new Railinc system?
No. It is an ongoing effort to create a way for users to view detailed railcar component health data by leveraging Railinc systems such as Umler®, CRB and EHMS.
What level of confidentiality does component data have?
Railinc products and services meet the highest standards for data security and confidentiality. Railinc supports the confidentiality of owner-related information while providing the most value to the industry through safety-related recalls, tracking and health-related inquiries. Examples:
• A wheel shop that is refurbishing a wheelset is able to access historical data related to that specific wheelset. However, a manufacturer is not able to access another manufacturer’s component data and view information that would create competitive concerns. Limited high-level data such as the average life of all wheelsets is available.
• A reconditioner that is refurbishing a side frame is able to access historical data related to that specific side frame. However, an OEM is not able to access another OEM’s component data and view information that would provide a competitive advantage. Limited high-level data such as the average life of all couplers, side frames and bolsters, which OEMs can use as a benchmark, are available to the public through the Railinc website.
How can users access component data?
Users must have a Railinc Single Sign‑On account and permission to access Umler, CRB or EHMS. Umler users will see a Component Registry tab, and CRB and EHMS users will see a new component ID field.
How does component data facilitate more effective recalls?
The data will ensure targeted recalls and reduce administrative burdens that industry participants face with recalls. Railinc maintains component details through existing systems that support criteria related to recall requests. If a recall is requested, Railinc will identify all equipment with components that match the recall criteria and provide this information to the AAR, which will file an Equipment Advisory for inspection of the equipment identified for recall.
How does Component Tracking improve alerts?
The data collected through these enhanced Railinc systems enables data summaries and alerts to be configured based on mileage. This type of enhanced detail provides a more complete view of equipment health and prevents unnecessary alerts on components that are experiencing normal wear, saving equipment owners time and money. It also helps equipment owners improve maintenance planning by providing detail that will enable a better prediction of a component’s time to failure
How does Component Tracking affect the movement of freight?
It keeps the right equipment in service longer and helps avoid unnecessary repairs or recalls.
Will companies be required to use Component Tracking?
Rail industry rules require manufacturers, wheel shops, repair shops, equipment owners, reconditioners, classifiers and OEMs to use Component Tracking functionality. For example, manufacturers are required to provide required data to their wheel shop customers; wheel shops will be required to report mandatory component details to Railinc when assembling a wheelset; and repair shops will be required to report in a timely and accurate way AAR Component ID, equipment ID and equipment location for every wheelset change.
Who develops the industry rules and standards?
Representatives from across the industry, including railroads, shops, equipment owners, manufacturers, industry committees and the AAR, are guiding the development of requirements for Component Tracking. Railinc communicates to industry participants the details of any rule changes.
Does Railinc provide Component Tracking training?
Yes. Training materials, demos and documentation are available through Component Tracking Product & Services page.
What are Component Tracking Wheelsets?
This phase centralized the registration of wheelset component details and identification of wheelset applications. Wheel shops can register wheelsets through Umler and report applications via Umler, CRB and EHMS.
How do wheelsets support future phases?
The wheelset framework supports expansion to castings, brake systems and appurtenances.
How do wheelsets affect existing Railinc systems?
Wheel shops, repair shops, manufacturers and others register wheelset components through Umler and report the application of wheelset components through Umler, CRB and EHMS. Users of these systems are able to register wheelset components through Umler and report the application of wheelset components in CRB and EHMS. Umler, CRB and EHMS users can access Component Tracking functionality through those existing systems. Here is how these existing systems work with Component Tracking:
• Umler: Confidential component details and information about component association to equipment are stored in the Umler Component Registry. Component IDs appear in Umler equipment records when associated with an owner’s equipment.
• CRB: Information about wheelset applications or repairs can be submitted through CRB.
• EHMS: Information about wheelset applications or repairs can be submitted through EHMS via Repair Services.
What are Component Tracking Side Frames, Bolsters and Couplers?
This phase centralized the registration and association of side frames, bolsters and couplers. Users can register components through the Umler Component Registry and report associations through Umler or CRB.
How do these components affect existing systems?
Umler stores component details and associations. CRB accepts bolster, coupler and side frame association or repair information.
Can I see information about whether my Component is new or refurbished?
You can only see this information for Cushioning Units. Other component types do not include new or refurbished indicators. You will need to reach out to the manufacturer of this component to learn if this component is new or refurbished.