Projector buggies are derailed and damaged many times a year on every Tamping machine

Repair parts and mechanics time can cost thousands of dollars.

Lost production can cost many more thousands of dollars.

Common causes are:

• Buggy derailing while operator is reversing (often at high speed) after recording a curve or when travelling to a new worksite and he does not immediately notice.
• Track flooded with ballast
• Working at night and projector buggy is barely visible
• Moving through switch points or mismatched rail joints
• Inexperienced operator
• Tight gauge

Protrak’s Projector Buggy Derail Alarm immediately warns the operator when the projector buggy derails and enables him to quickly stop the Tamper before costly damage occurs.

The Derail Alarm system consists of a sensor, mounted on the under cradle of the projector buggy which reflects an ultrasonic beam off the head of the rail.  When the buggy derails the beam is no longer on the railhead and a signal is sent to the control box mounted in the cab in front of the operator. A 98db piezo buzzer sounds and LED’s are turned on to warn the operator.