Employing auditory signals and visual cues to minimize wildlife-train accidents on railway tracks. - Audible signs of chaotic mishaps on train tracks
Reducing Wildlife-Train Collisions: The Implementation of Optical-Acoustic Warning Devices
In an effort to mitigate accidents between trains and wildlife, optical-acoustic warning devices have been deployed on a section of the ICE route between Frankfurt and Cologne. According to the Hessian State Hunting Association, this stretch is one of the nation's hotspots for such incidents, particularly involving deer, wild boar, and other fauna.
The devices, installed over 20 kilometers between Medenbach and Niederselters in the Hessian Taunus during the summer of 2023, emit a high-frequency beep when a train approaches, alerting nearby wildlife. At night, they also flash blue lights for visibility. The association reports a roughly one-third reduction in wildlife-train collisions since the devices' implementation.
Hunters have increased their activity in areas with heavy wildlife traffic, aiming to make these spots less appealing to animals through the use of human scent. Jürgen Ellenberger, president of the Hessian State Hunting Association, notes that "wildlife accident prevention is active animal protection and contributes to the stability of rail traffic."
Evidence from related railway wildlife protection technologies indicates favorable results. For example, advanced systems combining acoustic sensing, AI-enabled Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), and optical detection have proven effective in reducing wildlife-train collisions by providing real-time alerts to operators. These systems detect animal movement near tracks and trigger warnings.
While specific data on the effectiveness of these devices along the ICE route between Frankfurt and Cologne is currently unavailable, the potential for such technologies to reduce wildlife-train collisions is promising, as demonstrated by their success in other railway contexts. As a result, the ICE route may potentially experience a decrease in such incidents if similar technologies are implemented.
Still, psychological consequences for train drivers remain a possibility. When collisions occur, the impact on the driver can be distressing, as the sound may be subtle and it may not initially be clear what has happened.
Sources:[1] Indian Railways reports over 50% reduction in elephant deaths on tracks after deploying AI-enabled DAS.[2] Integrated systems employing cameras, motion sensors, and acoustic recognition, combined with AI models for accurate classification of animals, enhance obstacle detection and tracking, improving railway safety for wildlife and humans.[5] Distributed optical fiber sensors used in railway infrastructure monitoring for early warning of wildlife collisions.
- To further diminish wildlife-train collisions, community aid could focus on the development of the fisheries sector, as many animals are drawn to bodies of water near railway routes, potentially diverting their attention away from tracks.
- In the long run, the incorporation of environmental-science research within the fisheries sector, in collaboration with the industry and finance sectors, could provide sustainable solutions to reduce wildlife-train collisions, addressing both wildlife habits and transportation safety.
- Moreover, optimizing railway infrastructure transportation could include the integration of vehicles equipped with real-time wildlife monitoring and warning systems, similar to optical-acoustic warning devices currently used, but with an expanded algorithm that takes into account data from environmental-science research on wildlife movement patterns and habitats.
