Portable Train Detection & Alarm System (POTA)
POTA is specifically designed to ensure the safety of railway workers performing maintenance on bridges and tracks. The system detects an approaching train and sends a signal to a receiver unit equipped with a siren — alerting workers in advance and giving them sufficient time to vacate the tracks.
Two important parts of the system
Transmitter
- Solar power supply — solar panel, charge controller and battery.
- A radar sensor detects trains at a specific distance from the track.
- An RF module converts the detection into a signal and transmits it to the receiver.
- A dedicated structure is constructed to mount the device.
Receiver
- Solar power supply — solar panel, charge controller and battery.
- An RF module collects the signal sent by the transmitter.
- A hooter sounds the siren before a train arrives at the bridge or work site.
- A dedicated structure is constructed to mount the device.
How POTA protects your crew
A structure is developed for mounting the device, and all necessary parts are installed at the receiver and transmitter ends. The transmitter is located 1.2 km away from the receiver end, on both the up and down sides of the train track.
When a train passes the transmitter, the radar sensor detects it and transfers the signal to the receiver end. The receiver reads this data and activates the hooter — sounding the alarm at the railway bridge so workers know to clear the tracks the moment they hear the siren.
POTA in the field
