An axle counter is a device on a railway that detects the passing of a train in lieu of the more common track circuit. A counting head (or `detection point`) is installed at each end of the section, and as each axle passes the head at the start of the section, a counter increments. A detection point comprises two independent sensors, therefore t..... Found on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axle_counter
a system using counting points and a counter which detects the occupancy of a section of track by comparing the number of axles which enter the section with the number of axles which leave the section, parity of the numbers being necessary to give a clear indication Found on http://www.electropedia.org/iev/iev.nsf/display?openform&ievref=821-03-41