RailMeasurement’s CAT is an instrument to measure rail corrugation and acoustic roughness on one rail at a comfortable walking speed of 3-4km/h (1m/s).  The equipment is readily transported to site by a single person or as checked-in baggage on a flight.  It packs into a suitcase-sized wheeled instrument case with a total weight, including equipment, of 18kg.  On site, the equipment can be taken out of the carrying case, assembled and be ready for collecting measurements in a few minutes.  Only one person is required to carry, assemble and operate the CAT.

The CAT is easily converted for use on flat-bottomed (Vignole), embedded or grooved rails.

The CAT is widely used in the following areas:

• rail reprofiling

• corrugation surveys

• measurement of acoustic roughness

• research and development e.g. corrugation, products for corrugation mitigation, effects of different trackform and wheel/rail noise

Validation of the equipment, which we regard as being of fundamental importance, is also considered here.