Accuspeed Heightens MRS Brazil Railyard Productivity

Customer Overview

MRS is a logistics operator that manages a 1,643 km railway network in the states of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, a region that carries half of Brazil’s gross domestic product. The company is among the largest freight railways in the world and transports 20% of exports out of Brazil. A third of all cargo transported by trains in the country pass through the MRS tracks. As one of the largest railway companies in the country, MRS Logística was the first to implement a locomotive remote control system in Brazil. MRS selected the Accuspeed system with the aim of achieving greater efficiency and safety.

The company initiated some fundamental initiatives in order to achieve the expected results. This included assigning a locomotive to the yard and operation, creating a new position in the organization of Remote Control Operator, training the operational team and monitoring the movement of the locomotive with Accuspeed. It took approximately three years from the initial draft until the implementation and final approval on the new MRS operational model.

Traditionally, an MRS engineer had to be inside the locomotive cab in the yard while other employees gave instructions via radio communication. The company identified that this model could be more efficient and safer through the use of radio remote control technology. They also completed a benchmark study of North American railroads that validated that remote control systems increased efficiency and safety in those rail operations.

Highlights

• MRS uses a Cattron Accuspeed Class 1 system.
• The product has fully met expectations and proven to be easy to operate and maintain.
• Additional units were acquired in 2021 to meet the growing demand to implement in more yards.
• MRS has established a successful partnership with Cattron’s Brazil operation and has the full support of Cattron’s headquarters operation in North America.

Finding a Solution For the Future

In 2020, the Accuspeed system passed through installation, commissioning, validation and applicability within MRS operations. The use of remote control transformed the movement of locomotives in the railyards. Remote control operators are able to position themselves in a safe location while efficiently controlling the locomotive. The remote control operator has enough flexibility to move around the tracks with full and reliable control of the locomotive and coupled cars.

These changes enabled MRS to maximize resources by reallocating personnel in other critical areas of the railyard. In 2021, Cattron completes 75 years of history and more than 50 years of experience in railway operations. Together with the Cattron Brazil team, MRS is transforming operations from installation to ongoing operator training.

“Accuspeed system has been an important tool for achieving our productivity and safe goals in the railyard and also the use of LRC gave us a broad view on operations and a wide range of performance data that was previously unavailable.”

SERGIO CASSEMIRO, OPERATIONS ENGINEERING, MRS. 

The Best Solution

MRS noted numerous advantages of remote control:

• Increased agility on operations
• Reduced downtime
• Smoother couplings
• Increased accuracy in loading and unloading positioning
• Better and clear radio communication
• Maximized value of assets
• KPI management

The system eliminated the risk of radio communication failures between engineers and operators. The Remote Control Operators do not have to wait for feedback and confirmation during the operation which significantly increased productivity.