Abstract: A system is provided for determining the passage of a railroad car wheel along a section of track and the direction of movement of the wheel. The system includes a first wheel sensor mounted adjacent the track and adapted to generate a signal upon the passage of a wheel past the first sensor and while the wheel remains within a length of track associated with the first sensor. The system further includes a second wheel sensor closely spaced along the track from the first sensor and adapted to generate a second signal on the passage of the wheel past the second sensor and while the wheel remains within a length of track associated with the second sensor. The first and second sensors are sufficiently closely spaced to each other so as to provide an overlap between the first and second signals as a wheel passes. Logic means are connected to the outputs of the first and second sensors for determining the direction of travel of the wheel by the sequence of output signals from the sensors.