Technology Digests / MxV Rail University Programs Update

TD25-008

June 25, 2025
Authors
  • Anish Poudel
  • Chris Johnson
  • Corey Pasta
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Key Findings

  • Three university teams are focused on measuring rail neutral temperature (RNT), including novel ways of measuring and processing data from wireless accelerometers, piezoelectric transducers, and electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs).
  • Two teams are focused on rail flaw detection.
  • One team is using thermal imaging to detect rail base defects, and the other is using hybrid electromagnetic (EM) and ultrasonic (UT) sensing for rolling contact fatigue (RCF) characterization.
  • One team is focused on the development of a low-cost air-coupled Ultrasonic Acoustic Emission (UAE) method for detecting and classifying cracks in moving railcar wheels.

MxV Rail University Programs Update

Seven universities participated in MxV Rail’s University Programs, in which academia from around the country engage with the railroad industry to develop cutting-edge research that could potentially lead to innovations that improve railway safety, reliability, and efficiency. Funded by the Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) Strategic Research Initiatives (SRI) program, the effort allows MxV Rail to support the participating universities by providing access to industry research tools, such as the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing (FAST®)*, and fostering relationships with industry experts at MxV Rail and AAR member railroads.   This Technology Digest provides a brief update on each university’s work under the 2023/2024 University Program. Technology Digest TD23-008 provided an update on the 2019-2022 program activities.1  *FAST® is a registered trademark of MxV Rail Grand Challenges In Railway Technology The MxV Rail University Programs has identified a list of research needs titled, “Grand Challenges in Railway Technology.” Grand Challenge projects are…