ProTrak[TM]  
(for MS W98, NT4.0, ME, 2000, XP)

CarID for The Grapevine[TM]

Sneak look at work in progress on the Car Identification (CarID) for the Grapevine.

Barcodes are placed on the underside of the car trucks.  

* just one barcode for each car

* or, barcodes under each truck

- allows detection of car direction

- provides check on reading accuracy 

- same as prototype

Reader sends data to Grapevine Node, which sends data to computer and ProTrak.  

ProTrak compares new car location to data 

* on switchlist, or 

* car location on yard track, or

* car location in train entering or leaving staging

* ProTrak automatically updates train location and prints next switchlist

• Commercial barcode readers have dropped in price.  This photograph shows a commercial barcode reader, purchased for under $100. 
  • In this photo, Mike is at his workbench so everything is upside down.
  • The reader is placed in a 3/4" gap in the ties.
  • The barcode in this photograph on the bottom of the car. (Two barcodes shown, see below.)

• Barcodes are printed on an ordinary inkjet printer.   This photograph shows shows two barcodes mounted on the bottom of a boxcar. 
• In actual practice only one barcode would be needed.

• This photograph show a barcode mounted on the bottom of the car truck. 

This page posted April 14th, 2002.