Rail Wheel Sensors and Axle Counter Market

Rail Wheel Sensors and Axle Counter Market Outlook 2031

The global rail wheel sensors and axle counter market size was valued at USD 4.55 Billion in 2022 and is likely to reach USD 9.40 Billion by 2031, expanding at a CAGR of 8.39 % during 2023–2031. The growth of the market is attributed to the growing advancements in railway monitoring.

Increasing technological advancements in railway monitoring are expected to boost the demand for rail wheel sensors and axle counters. Rail wheel sensors and axle counters are used to monitor and detect the wheel flange of railway wheels and the occupied status of a section of track between two points.

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The adoption of rail wheel sensors is robustly expanding as they are mounted on the gauge side of a rail to detect the wheel flange of a railway wheel. It offers a high level of accuracy in determining the train's position and speed by directly monitoring the wheel's rotation and movement, which enhances their demand in railways. While axle counters detect the occupancy status of a section of track between two points as well as eliminate the need for traction bonding, increasing their demand for rails.

The COVID-19 pandemic hampered the demand for rail wheel sensors and axle counters. The manufacturing facilities of rail wheel sensors and axle counters faced several challenges during the pandemic, due to the shortage of manpower and raw materials, which impeded the market. Moreover, an abrupt rise in COVID-19 cases encouraged governments around the world to cease the operation of passenger trains, thereby reducing the demand for rail wheel sensors and axle counters. For instance, Indian Railways registered a 70% loss in passenger earnings during the outbreak of COVID-19.

Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Rail Wheel Sensors and Axle Counters Market

Technological advancements and the integration of artificial intelligence in railway networking create immense opportunities in the market. Governments in several countries are deploying artificial intelligence algorithms for remote monitoring of signals, track circuits, axle counters, and their sub-systems of interlocking. AI-powered axle counters collect inputs at pre-determined intervals and send the information to the central system, which detects problems on a real-time basis.

Rail Wheel Sensors and Axle Counter Market Dynamics

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Major drivers

Increasing incidence of train accidents is projected to boost the demand for rail wheel sensors and axle counters. Axle counters help to detect the occupancy status of a section of track between two points, which provides information to loco pilots to slow down the train when the track is occupied. Whereas, rail wheel sensors monitor and detect the wheel flange of railway wheels to avoid rail accidents, as improper wheel flange causes derailment of coaches.

This allows loco pilots to maintain proper control over speed, thereby decreasing rail accidents. Therefore, the rising number of rail accidents is propelling the market. For instance,

• According to the European Commission, an estimated 1389 railway accidents were recorded in the European Union in 2021.

Growing urbanization is expected to drive the market. Urbanization highlights the importance of transportation supply, which encourages governments to build new railway transit lines and trains. This increases the demand for rail wheel sensors and axle counters, as they are used to detect the wheel flange and occupancy status of a section of the track. For instance,

• According to the World Bank, 56% of the world’s population which is 4.4 billion lives in cities, and the number is expected to get double by 2050.

Existing Restraints

Increasing complexities in the operation of axle counters during power failure are expected to hinder the market. Axle counters forget the number of axles in a section during power failures, which causes accidents. This hampers the demand for axle counters in railway networking. Moreover, the high cost of rail wheel sensors is projected to restrict the market. Rail wheel sensors are expensive, as they require complex and advanced technology to manufacture.

Emerging Opportunities

Growing railway infrastructure across the globe creates an immense opportunity in the market. Moreover, companies in the market are receiving contracts for the development, deployment, and maintenance of new-generation axle counters, thereby fueling the market. For instance,

• On October 17, 2022, Frauscher Sensor Technology Group, a manufacturer of sensors for railways, received a contract from SNCF Réseau to develop, deploy, and maintain new-generation axle counters in France.

Scope of The Rail Wheel Sensors and Axle Counter Market Report

The report on the market includes an assessment of the market, trends, segments, and regional markets. Overview and dynamics have also been included in the report.

Rail Wheel Sensors and Axle Counter Market Segment Insights

Type Segment Analysis

Based on type, the rail wheel sensors and axle counter market is bifurcated into rail wheel sensors and axle counter. The rail wheel sensors held a large market share in 2022, due to the rising advancements in rail infrastructure and increasing production of trains. Rail wheel sensors are attached on the gauge side of a rail to monitor the wheel flange of a railway wheel and detect the wheel tread.

Moreover, rail wheel sensors are easily mounted and demounted on trains according to the requirements and are suitable for all types of rails, which boosts their adoption in railways, thereby boosting the segment in the coming years.

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The axle counter segment is anticipated to grow at a robust pace during the assessment period, owing to the growing urban rail transit and rising railway infrastructure. Axle counters are used in rail yards to detect the presence of train cars. Additionally, easy installation, low maintenance, low life cycle costs, and low power requirements associated with axle counters are boosting their demand in railways.

Application Segment Analysis

In terms of application, the global market is divided into rail transport lines and urban rail transit. The rail transport lines segment dominated the market in 2022 and is expected to continue its dominance throughout the projection period, owing to the increasing rail network in emerging nations and rising demand for logistics and supply chains.

Rail wheel sensors and axle counters are primarily used at rail transport lines to monitor and detect the presence of trains on the section. Axle counters reduce rail collisions by detecting the occupancy status of the section, which influences its demand in the rail transport lines.

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Regional Outlook

Based on region, the rail wheel sensors and axle counter market is segregated into Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, Europe, and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific accounted for a major share of the market in 2022, due to the growing railway infrastructure at a rapid pace. In addition, the increasing urbanization in the region is propelling the need for a metro rail network, which is further projected to boost the demand for rail wheel sensors and axle counters. For instance,

• China has the longest metro rail network in the world, which is about 4,201 km, three times that of the US.

The market in North America is projected to expand at a high CAGR in the coming years, owing to the advanced metro rail network and the presence of established market players, such as Honeywell International Inc., Western-Cullen-Hayes, Inc., and Wilcoxon Sensing Technologies. Moreover, increasing investment in high-speed rail links is anticipated to enhance the demand for rail wheel sensors and axle counters, as they are used in high-speed rail networks to monitor the occupancy status of a section of track between two points.

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Segments

The rail wheel sensors and axle counter market has been segmented on the basis of

Type

• Rail Wheel Sensors
• Axle Counter

Application

• Rail Transport Line
• Urban Rail Transit

Regions

• Asia Pacific
• North America
• Latin America
• Europe
• Middle East & Africa

Key Players

• ALTPRO d.o.o.
• Anhui Landun Photoelectron Co., Ltd
• Argenia Railway Technologies
• Beijing Railtechcn Technology Co., Ltd.
• Frauscher Sensor Technology Group
• Honeywell International Inc.
• PINTSCH GmbH
• Siemens Mobility
• Smith Systems Incorporated
• TE Connectivity
• Thales
• Western-Cullen-Hayes, Inc.
• Wilcoxon Sensing Technologies

Competitive Landscape

Key players competing in the global market are ALTPRO d.o.o.; Anhui Landun Photoelectron Co., Ltd; Argenia Railway Technologies; Beijing Railtechcn Technology Co., Ltd.; Frauscher Sensor Technology Group; Honeywell International Inc.; PINTSCH GmbH; Siemens Mobility; Smith Systems Incorporated; TE Connectivity; Thales; Western-Cullen-Hayes, Inc.; and Wilcoxon Sensing Technologies.

These companies adopted development strategies, including collaboration, product launches, mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, and production expansion, to expand their consumer base worldwide. For instance,

• On September 26, 2023,Frauscher Sensor Technology Group, a manufacturer of sensors for railways, announced that it has successfully launched axle counting solutions in Poland. The axle counting system has been utilized on public and freight railways, subways, industrial sidings, and urban transport across the entire country.