axle counter

English

Noun

axle counter (plural axle counters)

1. (rail transport) A safety device fitted to railway track which counts the axles in a train as it passes over it. A check is carried out when the train passes the next axle counter to make sure the train is still complete.
   • 2020 June 17, “Network News: Signalling upgrade in East Suffolk”, in Rail, page 21:

     Twenty-seven axle counters have been installed on the 49-mile East Suffolk Line, to improve level crossing safety and reduce waiting times at user-worked crossings. The Lowestoft-Ipswich line has 28 user-worked crossing/footpath level crossings where the signaller must give permission for people to cross. [...] Signallers use the axle counters to authorise users to cross at the user-worked crossings.