Abstract: A system for identifying a moving railway vehicle or any other object upon which is fastened an identification label having a number of vertical columns of light retransmitting medium, each column representing a digit number obtained by coding the column by insertion of a metal plate in front of the column. A wayside light transmitter/receiver unit provides a source of light beam directd toward the path of travel of the vehicle and also provides a light beam receiver responsive to retransmitted light signals from the label. The receiver decodes these signals using a control means such as a microprocessor and transmits all pertinent information in digital form to other data processing equipment employed by the user.