Southern Technologies

Southern Technologies got their start in the defect detector industry in the 1980s when they partnered with Southern Railway/Norfolk Southern to build a custom, low cost hotbox detector design. This design evolved into the full-featured, standard version Sentry 2058, cementing Southern Technologies' place in the defect detector market.

Sentry 2058 (SOU/NS Version)
Introduced in 1986 as the company's first detector offering in partnership with Southern Railway/Norfolk Southern. SOU/NS sought a low cost, "go/no go" design with fewer features than their much more elaborate Mark I detectors. These Stand-Alone Detectors (SAD) did not communicate with backoffice systems. The resulting cost savings enabled SOU/NS to install these detectors approximately every 10 miles on their core routes.

While standard versions came equipped with standard inner-bearing scanners, Southern Railway/Norfolk Southern instead opted to use detectors that scanned the outer-bearing (end of the axle) at a lower temperature threshold.

Sentry 2058 (Standard Version)
A more feature-filled detector evolved from the SOU/NS version of the Sentry 2058, which we will dub as the "standard" version. STC literature leads us to believe that Union Pacific pioneered this version starting in 1990, which went on to become a popular model with many railroads.

Sentry 2100
The Sentry 2100 was a transition model between the Sentry 2058 and the SmartScan NG. Their radio transmissions sound identical to a SmartScan NG, but the Sentry 2100 predates them having been introduced in 1996.

SmartScan IS
A custom design built specifically for Union Pacific, with development starting in 1998.

SmartScan NG
Built upon the proven success of the Sentry System, the SmartScan Next Generation (NG) started production in 2004. Featuring dual processors and networking capabilities to back office systems, as well as the ability to integrate with an AEI reader, it is a substantial upgrade over its predecessor.

SmartScan NG²
Introduced in 2017, the latest generation of hot bearing detector includes significantly upgraded processors and a computer synthesized voice. Its improved processing capabilities allow for trains of over 4,000 axles to be scanned, and its modular structure makes for a very simple upgrade of an existing SmartScan NG site.

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Small Talk
A very basic talker unit designed to allow easy & economical replacement of older non-hot bearing capable models. Not nearly as feature-rich as the iCUBE that succeeded it, although it did support transducers for axle counting. The Small Talk was introduced in the 1990s.

Wayside Inspection System
Another custom design build specifically for Union Pacific.

iCUBE
A non-hot bearing-capable unit that can be utilized for dragging equipment, high & wide loads, high water detection, wind speed, ambient temperature, and much more. It can also be used as a DTMF switch or grade crossing controller, switch position monitor, or an annunciator for a WILD detector. It also features the same advanced networking capabilities to back office systems as its SmartScan brothers. The iCUBE was introduced in 2014.