Pintsch North America

05/08/2025

This week, solar powered shunt enhancers were installed in Florida to solve shunting sensitivity issues associated with an Interlocker. Due to heat, humidity and surrounding sugarcane fields, rust quickly builds on the rails, preventing consistent train detection. The shunt enhancer uses a double wheel sensor and directional switching amplifier module to detects passing wheel flanges entering a track circuit. It then places a "hard shunt" across the track via an adjustable timing relay for a preset period of time based on maximum authorized speed, length of track circuit, and other factors. These inexpensive devices solved a serious operational problem for hundreds of thousands of dollars less than that estimated for other solutions.

11/16/2024

Is it time for a new approach to gate mechanisms? This is the Pintsch SPK-10 gate mech. Benefits include the elimination of mechanical devices, such as "hold clear" mechanisms, clutches, etc. Position is held in place by an electromagnet. In-rush current is very minimal. Two SPK-10 gate mechs together will draw only 12 to 14 amps during actuation, allowing for the use of lighter gauge cable, with greater tolerance for voltage drop on long runs. Open contacts are replaced with sealed limit switches and the gate is driven both up and down, allowing for consistent operation....and more! The gates shown are in service at a new grade crossing in Iowa.

09/06/2024

Pintsch has extensive experience designing and installing railroad signal systems in petrochemical plants and similar facilities. These facilities often have very specialized engineering and safety requirements outside the normal scope of railroad signal construction practices. Our most recent project at a chemical plant required extensive conduit work, with a relay case installed in an electrical sub-station switch room. There are now four Pintsch crossing systems installed at this plant due to their high level of reliability and immunity to contaminated ballast and standing water within the track and structure.

01/13/2024

Excellent advice from the FRA.

: At every grade crossing you will find the blue and white Emergency Notification System sign with a telephone and grade crossing number to notify the railroad in the event of an emergency.

01/02/2024

With the new year comes new technology! Check out the new SPK-10 gate mechanism.

The gate mechanism used in the railroad industry is a bit like death and taxes; it never changes. Certainly, the basic design is robust and there have been improvements over the years, but the basic methodology has remained the same for the better part of a century. What would happen if someone step...

11/01/2022

We spent a pleasant afternoon at a port facility performing a flood mitigation survey in advance of a railroad signal construction project. Customers invest significant value in new construction projects so engineers and contractors should do their part to consider mitigation options for significant risk factors. This includes providing data and options so customers can make informed decisions beyond simply looking at the initial, bottom-line price of a project.

08/03/2022

We recently upgraded an industrial crossing using our MC6 axle counting system. The original system, which worked on a timing principle with supplemental train detection from loop detectors had become unreliable and an almost daily source of problems for plant controls personnel. Here you can see the original crossing configuration built around directional switching amplifier modules associated with non-fail-safe wheel sensors, a PLC, and loop detectors.

Pintsch North America reconfigured the train detection portion of the crossing controller to facilitate a true axle counting arrangement using our fail-safe, vital wheel sensors and a compact axle counting system. This arrangement provides vital train detection and a much higher level of reliability at low cost. Total time for reconfiguring the case was six hours on site. The only remaining work to be done is to move the small case heater near the bottom of the case.

The new train detection system also incorporates networking capability, which, when added to this crossing and others within the plant, will allow both plant control technicians and Pintsch North America to monitor the status of the crossing and download data remotely for use when investigating any rare reliability problem that may arise.

Pintsch North America is the leader in axle counting technology because we do more than provide a "one size fits all" product. We combine applications engineering and manufacturing to solve unique signal problems that serve the needs of a diverse customer base.

05/21/2022

Did you know that Pintsch axle counting systems are used for much more than yard controls and highway grade crossing signals. For example, this interlocking system utilizes our axle counting technology. In addition, our technology facilitates trap circuits, switch protection, advance preemption overlays, speed traps, and many other specialized functions.

05/21/2022

Will your signal system function under these conditions? Pintsch axle counting systems are immune to poor track conditions, such as flooding, ballast contamination, rusty rail, gauge rods, and so forth. We can design and manufacture a customized signal system for any railroad application.

05/21/2022

Axle counting systems are ideal for locations where maximum reliability is required. The "virtual track circuit" provided by Pintsch axle counting systems is immune to shunting sensitivity issues, electromagnetic interference, induced voltages, and many other problems that can degrade the reliability of traditional track circuits.

05/21/2022

We introduced our new industrial grade crossing signal system at the 2022 RSSI Show. Designed to railroad industry standards, it offers industrial customers a cost-effective solution for grade crossing protection. Industries such as mines, steel mills, ports, power generation, and agriculture now have access to fail-safe, vital crossing protection at a price that is competitive with lesser systems.