Rail freight tech provider Railinc is partnering with Duke University’s Christensen Family Center for Innovation to develop new technologies aimed at improving rail safety and efficiency. 

The collaboration will focus on addressing the longstanding challenge of billing for railcar repairs. Repair work is governed by hundreds of conditional rules meant to ensure safety, but the complexity often forces mechanical teams to pore over manuals and fix paperwork errors.

Railinc previously developed an application to address this known as CarLogix, which guides workers through the repair recording process and checks entries against industry rules in real time. The partnership with Duke will explore how artificial intelligence, mobile devices and social media tools could further streamline the process, particularly for crews making minor repairs in the field without computer access.

“This collaboration with Duke University is about bringing together innovation, academia, and industry to strengthen the rail network,” said Railinc president and CEO Allen West. 

The initiative will also aim to improve compliance, reduce inefficiencies and strengthen the rail workforce, while giving students meaningful experience in shaping the future of U.S. rail freight.