Abstract
Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc., based in Plymouth, Minnesota, specializes in the design, fabrication, and operation of railway maintenance equipment. Loram produces machinery ranging from railway tie inserters to ditch digging devices; however our major product is rail grinders. These grinders are commonly applied in the railroad industry to maintain railway rail. Loram has been developing an expert system called the Vision-based Transverse Analyzer (VISTA). VISTA is designed to take full advantage of the rail grinder capabilities by producing a completely automated grinding system.