is reduced by the controls compensation in the system for fluxation in pressure creates a large disparity in the resultant measurements because of the great deviation caused by the fluxation in cylinder volume railroads unnecessarily stop and physically inspect track that in fact is within specification which reduces the efficiency of maintenance operations and increases maintenance costs these plots of the open loop hydraulic system utilizing force measurements taken off of the hydraulic system are shown in fig1 the more accurate results of the improvement described below are shown in fig1 the present disclosure addresses these undesirable traits by using direct mechanical measurement of changes in load or strain in split axle shafts 232 332 as shown in fig5 8 the axle assembly measures changes in load or strain in each of the split axle shafts 232 332 the axle assembly 20 applies a lateral load by use of hydraulic ram 56 and applies a vertical load with use of hydraulic cylinders 82 the axle assembly 20 will be described regarding one side of the loaded gauge axle assembly 20 it being understood the other side is a mirror image shaft 232 of the first embodiment of the present disclosure uses load cells 256 258 while shaft 332 of the second embodiment of the present disclosure uses strain sensors 356 358 either the strain sensors 356 358 or the load cells 256 258 provide essentially instantaneous measurement of changes in load on the split axle shafts 232 332 the installation of force transducers such as the load cells 256 258 in the cantilevered section of the split.