CSX Autonomous Track Assessment Cars (ATAC) - Trains Magazine
Christopher Duran
Updated on April 07, 2026
When I was still working, CSX had equipped several locomotives with some track measurement equipment & GPS - when measured levels exceeded the levels that were deemed normal, the equipment would send a report of the happening to the Engineering desk with the Milepost designation where the anomaly was measured. With the level of GPS that was being used at the time - the report stated 'all tracks' at the location should be inspected, as I suspect the GPS location could not specify the specific track in an area that contained multiple tracks.
The reports linked the GPS reported location to 'Google Earth' style aerial views of that point for display.