About the FRA DOTX-218

The FRA Office of Safety owns and operates the DOTX-218 to support its mission to reduce track geometry caused derailments nationwide. In addition, the FRA Office of Research and Development utilized the DOTX-218 to support a wide range of research programs.  The mileage surveyed by the DOTX-218 varies from year to year depending upon operational needs.

The DOTX-218:

- Entered service in 2004
- Operates in self-propelled and towed mode
- Is equipped with a track geometry measurement system to measure gage, alignment and track surface
- Is equipped with a Gage Restraint Measurement System. The GRMS utilizes a deployable fifth axle to apply lateral and vertical loads to the rail and then take measurements of the impact to the rail from the forces
- Is equipped with a differential global positional system to provide high accuracy GPS coordinates to each foot surveyed