September 2, 2026 - TRA Newswire -

IT'S HOT! No one has to tell you that in summer in Texas. So what happens to steel rails that heat up in the summer and contract in the winter when you have such varying temperature and soil conditions in the Panhandle of Texas?

Panhandle Northern Railroad (PNR) is deploying a new rail safety technology hat detects train presence, broken rails and track temperatures 24/7 on its short line railroad. Panhandle Northern is part of OmniTRAX, one of North America’s fastest growing privately held rail management companies.

The company has added a product from internationally recognized industrial safety innovator, Athena Industrial Services, Advanced Rail Condition Detector (ARCD) and TrueTemp Link. It works in "dark territory" where there is no signaling and track detection equipment on the rails to alert a dispatching center that monitors the railroad. 

“The Panhandle’s wide-ranging winter and summer temperatures pose serious environment challenges that require 24/7 attention to maintain operational integrity. Athena’s cutting-edge safety technology provides critical rail monitoring in the Texas Panhandle’s extreme temperatures,” said OmniTRAX President and COO Sergio Sabatini. “Athena continuously evaluates rail conditions, adding a vital element of infrastructure safety to keep Texas supply chains moving.”

PNR’s operations span 30 miles in the Texas Panhandle, providing active freight rail service and Class I rail connections in Northwest Texas. Athena develops advanced railroad safety technologies that help prevent derailments and optimize safety. Their flagship ARCD Technology captures real-time data across freight networks that enhances rail safety.

“We are proud to help industry leaders like OmniTRAX safeguard their vital infrastructure,” said Athena Industrial President Constantine Issakidis. “The Texas PNR presents a unique set of challenges, but our continuous rail evaluation technology is designed to thrive under precisely these conditions. Athena is dedicated to providing our partners round-the-clock visibility and data that protects infrastructure, enhances rail safety, and keeps the supply chains moving forward.”

Panhandle Northern Railroad, LLC (TX) is a former Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (now BNSF) line which operates on 31 miles of track and runs between the towns of Panhandle and Borger, Texas. Borger is home to the nation’s largest inland petrochemical complex. PNR handles carbon black, liquid petroleum gas, chemicals, petroleum products, scrap metal, and fertilize

OmniTRAX operates 35 railroads, serving ports and industrial parks across the country.  OmniTRAX is the largest private, family-owned short line holding company in North America.

Photo credit: OmniTRAX