Railway & Locomotive Speed Sensors 

Magnetic Sensors Corporation, a front-runner in groundbreaking speed-sensing solutions for railway applications, leads the industry. Our guiding principle is straightforward: we consistently strive to meet our customers' requirements, without exception.

With MSC’s sensor design program, acquiring innovative and durable speed sensors becomes effortless. Drawing from our extensive experience serving top railway companies, we possess an in-depth understanding of your application requirements and essential features. Our offerings include advanced railway and locomotive speed sensors that meet the demands of today’s transportation systems.

We commit ourselves to driving progress when it comes to rail technology. From boosting traction control to supporting evolving rail systems, our expertise helps rail companies run more safely and efficiently. Trust us to deliver sensor solutions that keep you ahead of the curve.

Consult with us regarding your specific needs, and we’ll support you in crafting the ideal design and functionality. Whether your project demands a single piece or a million, we are equipped to deliver. Your signal is all we need to get started.

MAGNETIC SENSORS CORPORATION continues to be an innovator in speed solutions for railway applications for the past 20 years. MSC’s Variable Reluctance (VR) engine cam and crank shaft speed sensors are used extensively in diesel-electric locomotives. MSC’s engine cam and crank sensors have very high reliability.  An MTBF of millions of hours has been demonstrated.

Hall Effect sensors usually sense a rotating target wheel or gear. The sensor, with its head at a precise distance from the target wheel, detects the magnets or teeth passing its face.  The sensor provides up to four independent channels of output that can be sampled by train control systems and braking controllers. In addition to sensing speed, the sensors are also used to calculate distance traveled by multiplying the number of rotations of the wheel by wheel circumference.

Our PT1000 temperature sensor incorporates a 2-wire, Class B design, utilizing a PT1000 element. It offers a broad measuring range of -50ºC to +400ºC and operates reliably within a temperature range of -25ºC to +85ºC. The temperature sensing element is securely housed in a stainless steel enclosure, providing robust protection, and is fully encapsulated in a high-temperature, thermally conductive epoxy. This design ensures exceptional performance and reliability, even in the harsh conditions encountered within train bogies (trucks).

To enhance durability and ease of installation, our temperature probes have been assigned an IP69K ingress protection rating, making them resistant to pressurized steam. Additionally, the sensor features a 90º elbow coupled to the cable, allowing the cable to exit the temperature probe without enduring excessive bending stresses. Throughout its entire length, the cable is further safeguarded by a flexible conduit.

In addition to the positive and negative conductors, we have included a third conductor for ground potential in the cable. This configuration enables the determination of the temperature probe’s ground potential at the signal conditioner site through a 6-pin Harting connector.

MSC’s PT1000 temperature sensors exemplify our commitment to delivering reliable and accurate solutions tailored for demanding applications like the Hot Axle Box Detector in high-speed rail systems.