Train Labels Riding the Rails – Customer Spotlight

Train Labels in the Subways

Subways are a big part of our lives in modern times. Imagine labeling over 175 subway trains made up of four or six cars and then scanning barcode train labels on them in tunnels as the trains swiftly make their way towards their destinations. Sound fantastical? Well, think again, one customer of ours does just that.

Subway in an underground train station This customer happens to be one of the most heavily-used mass transit systems in North America so this project was vital to their tracking (pardon the pun) system. They were able to label all of their subway trains using popular and easy-to-setup-and-use Zebra printer and BarTender® software.

With special portable scanners placed within the tunnels, their labels are scanned as the trains move along their journey. Some of these trains can reach 15 miles per hour. Now, that may not seem fast, but to be able to scan a barcode that is moving is quite an achievement.

Another feat is having the train labels withstand the harsh conditions of subway systems. This was accomplished using EIM’s EnduraLabels. These special polyester labels were named for their high endurance properties. The adhesive sticks to rough, dirty, and high textured surfaces, or even ones that are oily or greasy. Using our EnduraLabels reduces the need for pre-cleaning, which in turn reduces labor hours needed to apply the labels. The adhesive is very aggressive ensuring the trains are permanently labeled. And if a label ever gets damaged, having their own printer lets them easily print a replacement.

Click to Contact an actual person about laboratory labelsEnduraLabels were specifically engineered to stand up to harsh industrial conditions, making them a perfect fit for this subway system. So next time you are riding a subway, think of EIM and how we can help your company solve some really tough applications.