Railcar acoustic monitoring system and method of use

A computer-implemented method for identifying a defect of a passing train via acoustic monitoring, the passing train comprising wheels and bearings, the train traveling on first and second rails of a track, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving data from the passing train within a zone of observance using a plurality of microphone assemblies of an acoustic monitoring system that are positioned around a section of the track, the plurality of microphone assemblies in communication with at least one data acquisition module of the acoustic monitoring system;
• processing the data to determine pressure levels received by each of the plurality of microphone assemblies;
• using pressure levels received by each of the plurality of microphone assemblies, computing a four-dimensional pressure array by computing a theoretical pressure level for each of the plurality of microphone assemblies at a plurality of points within a three-dimensional coordinate space, the plurality of microphone assemblies having defined locations within the three-dimensional coordinate space and relative to the plurality of points, wherein, for each of the plurality of points, the theoretical pressure level is calculated assuming its position within the three-dimensional coordinate space is an origin point of the pressure levels received by each of the plurality of microphone assemblies;
• determining one or more locations within the three-dimensional coordinate space where the theoretical pressure levels accurately represent the origin points of the pressure levels received by each of the plurality of microphone assemblies;
• isolating acoustic signatures of the noise source in the one or more locations;
• and
• determining a type of defect based on the acoustic signatures.