Zain Khan finished his degree in Robotic and Mechatronic Engineering at Monash University in Melbourne in December 2024, and was immediately hired full-time by the Monash Institute of Railway Technology.
Now he’s a Graduate Research Engineer, working on software and hardware development for the rail industry.
Currently, he is working on a Dynamic Track Gauge Maintenance System.
“I often call it a maintenance system, since it helps in maintenance operations,” he said.
“It works via camera brackets – laser cameras that go under the train and regularly capture the rail profile.
The profile captured is sent to an iPC (Industrial PC), a Windows-based system running its own embedded software, which calculates the gauge.”
The data can then alert operators if there is an increased risk of derailment.
“The gauge can change its values depending on surrounding conditions — for example, in hot weather, during heavy rain and other environmental factors,” Khan said.
“Our system lets us monitor the rail gauge and we can see if someone needs to go there in person to carry out an inspection, or get it fixed before disaster strikes.”
This system is used by MTR in Hong Kong, and Khan is part of the team that collaborates with them.
“If, for example, there is a fault in a camera, a faulty camera has been replaced, or any change in the rolling stock occurs, DTGMS calibration is required,” Khan explained.
“We recalibrate it remotely from our end to ensure the system continues to provide accurate gauge values.”
The paper Khan submitted to win a scholarship to the conference was titled Sustainable Railways with AI Predictive Maintenance and Recycled Materials and was relevant to his day-to-day work at Monash.
“It was around reducing our carbon footprint by using predictive maintenance to avoid having to travel to physically inspect a rail network,” he explained.
Khan said he’s always been fascinated by computers and machinery.
“I initially wanted to work as an engineer in the automotive industry – being a track engineer in a Formula 1 team really fascinated me,” he said. “But then I was offered this opportunity in the rail industry and I didn’t want to let it go.”
He said that before he started working at Monash, he didn’t know much about the importance of technology and engineering in the rail sector.
“I think the younger generation tend to overlook rail,” he said. “But once you get into it, you realise how important and useful the industry is. We can really help our communities and the environment, in terms of getting to net zero by 2050.
“In the end, it’s all related to technological advancements.
“I feel like I’m making a difference in the world through my work.”
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