Rolling stock is transit vehicles used for support services,including powered and unpowered vehiclessuch as locomotives, railcars, freight cars, passenger cars, ferry boats, trolley cars, buses, vans and cars. The term ‘rolling stock’ is often used in the rail transport industry and refers to railway vehicles or wheeled vehicles used by businesses on roadways. Rolling stockhas also been expanded to includeall engines and carriages that are used on a railway. The term‘rolling stock’ is defined in the Buy America regulations (49 CFR Part 661.3). The word ‘stock’ is often referred to as inventory or liquid assets. Rolling stock can also be referred to as the value of the vehicle,i.e. locomotive or railcars,based on asset performance and component life. Rolling stock is different to fixed stock within the rail transport industry. Fixed stock is a collective term for the track, signals, station and any fixed asset necessary to operate a railway that doesn’t ‘roll’ or ‘move’. 

Rail asset management is the systematic and effective management of physical and financial assets related to rail infrastructure, including rolling stock, locomotives, trains, freight cars, passenger cars and all the engines and carriages that are used on a railway. Rail asset management refers to a complete asset inventory and data management of the safety, reliability, efficient operations, methods, procedures and systems for the complete rail infrastructure life cycles. Rail asset management optimises the performance and costs and mitigates safety issues whilst minimising the risks by keeping track of all rail assets, their locations and their current condition. 

The goal of rail asset management is to maximise ROI and the rail infrastructure life cycle, minimising cost by effectively using data and technology to gain a comprehensive understanding of the rail system and complete collaboration between rail transport departments and stakeholders. Rolling stock management differs from fixed stock asset management. Fixed stock asset management includes the systematic and effective management of physical fixed stock assets such as the train track, signals, locomotives, stations, and other rail-related assets. Rolling stock asset management is the systematic and effective management of railway vehicles or wheeled vehicles used by businesses on roadways, including locomotives, railcars, freight cars, passenger cars, ferry boats, trolley cars, buses, vans and cars and all the engines and carriages that are used for both powered and unpowered ‘rolling’ vehicles.  

A rail asset management team will develop plans for the maintenance, repair and replacement of physical assets determining when they need to be replaced. They will also schedule their acquisition and installation to extend the assets’ life cycle, reduce the risk of failure, and keep your vehicles on track for longer. The rail asset management professionals will also carry out several services that can help: 

• Generate significant operational efficiencies 
• Improve component performance  
• Extended service intervals 

• Prolong asset life 
• Penalty mitigation and safety 
• OEM-grade MRO services 
• Extend service intervals and component life 
• Enhance asset performance 

• Increase operator efficiency and automation. 
  

A rail asset management team will also monitor control costs and deal with supply chain efficiencies related to asset management activities tailored to meet the fleet budget and program requirements. 

A rail asset management professional and engineer can also help with:

Braking Systems, HVAC, doors, dampers & suspension and air generation & treatment units (AGTU).  

Braking Systems asset management includes: 

• Complete braking system capabilities for EMU, DMU, and LRV 
• IoT Ready Retrofit Braking and WSP systems 
• Customised Friction Pair Solutions 
• Supply of Wheel & Axle-mounted Braking Discs 

• Supply of Brake Pads and Blocks 
• Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul of all Passenger and Freight Braking Components 

HVAC asset management includes: 

• Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul of all Rail HVAC systems 

• Custom & OEM Replacement HVAC Control Units – IoT Ready 
• Customised Retrofit and Upgrade Solutions 

Train door asset management includes: 

• Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul of all Passenger Door Systems 
• Custom & OEM Replacement Door Control Units 
• Supply of OEM Door Solutions for Retrofit, Upgrade, and New Train Applications 

Dampers & suspension asset management include: 

• New & Replacement Rail Dampers 
• OEM-accredited Overhaul, Inspection, and Re-certification 
• Supply of Ancillary Suspension and Metalastic Products 
• Custom Damping Solutions 

Air generation & treatment units (AGTU) asset management includes: 

• Supply of AGTU Equipment for OEM Applications and New Train Builds 
• Service of all Air Supply & Treatment Equipment, including Reciprocating, Screw and Scroll Compressors, and Dryer Unit 

• Customised Retrofit and Upgrade Solutions 

Rail assets are the transit vehicles used for support services, including both powered and unpowered vehicles such as locomotives, railcars, and freight cars. Rail assets also extend to the maintenance of way equipment, including all the engines and carriages used on a railway, such as the Braking Systems, HVAC, doors, dampers & suspension and air generation & treatment units (AGTU). Rail assets, also known as Rolling Stock, are often used in the rail transport industry and refer to the railway or wheeled vehicles used by businesses on roadways.  

The 4 four principal types of rolling stock are: 

1. Locomotives (a powered railway vehicle used for pulling trains) Steam, diesel or electric 

1. Freight cars or wagons (railway cars or wagons used for carrying freight) 

1. Coaches, carriages or passenger cars 

1. Multiple units. 

Rail management is very important as it informs you about your rolling assets’ efficiencies and life cycle. Rail management helps gather large amounts of information and then analyses the data to provide valuable information on flagged actionable jobs. The jobs must then be completed to ensure that all subsystems work safely and reliably alone and when combined as complete systems. In addition, rail management checks that equipment is operating efficiently and reliably to ensure that operational service availability remains at the high levels demanded by asset operators. 

Rail management is essential to help improve component performance, extended service intervals, prolonged asset life, help with supply chain efficiencies and penalty mitigation and safety. In addition, rail management can ensure more efficient use of labour and materials during maintenance and repair, which helps cut costs and speeds up maintenance and repair activities. Rail management can also reduce the input energy and emissions required to produce replacement equipment, reduce waste generated by the disposal of the existing equipment, and extend the life of the components to enhance the asset value. 

During condition-based assessments, a rail management professional or engineer will review fleet technical maintenance plans and optimise component overhaul intervals based on vehicle usage data and component condition. 

Rail management is fundamentally important to assist with rolling asset product improvements. The culmination of engineering services and component design modifications helps improve life cycle cost, optimise performance, increase life, reduce maintenance costs, and provide a better return on investment.