Every day, freight trains move thousands of miles across North America, carrying goods through a rail network that is critical to supply chains. But along many lengthy stretches, what happens on those tracks is virtually unseen. That lack of visibility can make it difficult for shippers and other stakeholders to understand network conditions as they change. On this episode of The Intermodal Logistics Podcast, RailState Vice President of Sales and Marketing Dan Devoe explains how his company is closing that information gap with camera-equipped sensors positioned at key points across a growing portion of the rail network.
Dan shares how RailState’s founders first recognized the need for better rail visibility while looking for information that could help shippers negotiate transportation contracts. Their initial approach was remarkably hands-on: they observed trains from a hill and collected insights about what was moving along the tracks. As the company grew, that early effort evolved into a network of trackside optical sensors covering key routes throughout the United States, all of Canada, and border-crossing areas of Mexico.
With visibility at a premium, those sensors capture detailed information about rail activity, including individual containers, train speed, car types, train density, and other movement patterns. The result is a more detailed view of how freight is moving across the network and how conditions are changing over time. Dan explains that this information supports a wide range of users, including governments, shippers, commodities traders, and the railroads themselves.
He also walks us through several developments RailState has observed in recent months, including shifts in freight volume, the recovery of rail operations following derailments, new business partnerships, and instances of cargo theft. Together, these examples show how trackside data can provide important context for understanding the rail network and the forces affecting intermodal transportation.
For more on RailState and its network intelligence, visit www.railstate.com.
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