Tilt correction system and method for rail seat abrasion

1. A system for determining rail seat abrasion of a rail road track, the system comprising:

at least one light generator positioned adjacent the rail road track, the light generator adapted to project a beam of light across the rail road track;

at least one camera positioned adjacent the rail road track for receiving at least a portion of the light reflected from the rail road track and for generating at least one image representative of a profile of at least a portion of the rail road track, and

at least one processor adapted to perform the steps comprising:

analyzing the at least one image; and

determining whether rail seat abrasion is present along the rail road track,

wherein, when determining whether rail seat abrasion is present, the at least one processor compensates for a tilt of the rail road track.

2. A system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the processor compensates for the tilt of the rail road track by the steps comprising:

determining a height of a left rail base, right rail base, left crosstie and right crosstie;

determining a tilt correction factor;

determining an actual delta for the right and left rail bases; and

determining a rail seat abrasion value for the right and left rail bases.

3. A system as defined in claim 2 , wherein the step of determining the heights further comprises the steps of:

determining vertical pixel counts for each of the heights of the left rail base, right rail base, left crosstie and right crosstie; and

normalizing the vertical pixel counts based upon a measurement index.

4. A system as defined in claim 2 , wherein the step of determining the tilt correction factor is accomplished based upon the left and right rail base heights and a standard tilt correction factor.

5. A system as defined in claim 2 , wherein the step of determining the actual delta is accomplished based upon the tilt correction factor.

6. A system as defined in claim 2 , wherein the step of determining the rail seat abrasion value is accomplished based upon the actual delta.

7. A method for determining rail seat abrasion of a rail road track, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) determining a height of a left rail base, right rail base, left crosstie and right crosstie;

(b) recording the heights of the left rail base, right rail base, left crosstie and right crosstie;

(c) determining a tilt correction factor;

(d) determining an actual delta for the right and left rail bases; and

(e) determining a rail seat abrasion value for the right and left rail bases.

8. A method as defined in claim 7 , wherein step (a) further comprises the steps of:

determining vertical pixel counts for each of the heights of the left rail base, right rail base, left crosstie and right crosstie; and

normalizing the vertical pixel counts based upon a measurement index.

9. A method as defined in claim 7 , wherein the step (c) is accomplished based upon the left and right rail base heights and a standard tilt correction factor.

10. A method as defined in claim 7 , wherein step (d) is accomplished based upon the tilt correction factor.

11. A method as defined in claim 7 , wherein step (e) is accomplished based upon the actual delta for the right and left rail bases.

12. A method for determining rail seat abrasion of a rail road track, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) moving an inspection system along the track;

(b) receiving image data corresponding to at least a portion of the track;

(c) determining a measurement of the rail seat abrasion for the portion of the track, wherein the measurement are adjusted for tilt encountered as the inspection system moves along the track; and

(d) determining whether rail seat abrasion exists based upon the adjusted measurement.

13. A method as defined in claim 12 , wherein step (c) further comprises the steps of:

determining a height of a left rail base, right rail base, left crosstie and right crosstie;

determining a tilt correction factor;

determining an actual delta for the right and left rail bases; and

determining a rail seat abrasion value.

14. A method as defined in claim 13 , wherein the step of determining the heights further comprises the steps of:

determining vertical pixel counts for each of the heights of the left rail base, right rail base, left crosstie and right crosstie; and

normalizing the vertical pixel counts based upon a measurement index.

15. A method as defined in claim 13 , wherein the step of determining the tilt correction factor is accomplished based upon the left and right rail base heights and a standard tilt correction factor.

16. A method as defined in claim 13 , wherein the step of determining the actual delta is accomplished based upon the tilt correction factor.

17. A method as defined in claim 13 , wherein the step of determining the rail seat abrasion value is accomplished based upon the actual delta.