A retaining valve includes an inlet and a valve member downstream from the inlet, wherein the valve member has first, second, and third positions. A first passage through the valve member allows fluid flow through the retaining valve when the valve member is in the first position. A second passage through the valve member allows fluid flow through the retaining valve when the valve member is in the second position. A third passage through the valve member allows fluid flow through the retaining valve when the valve member is in the third position. A slide moves with respect to the valve member in response to pressure at the inlet. A spring engaged with the slide biases the slide toward the inlet. A seal located at an axial midpoint of the slide prevents flow through the third passage when pressure at the inlet is less than a predetermined pressure.

A relay valve module of a pneumatic brake system for a vehicle includes a relay valve and an actuating unit. A valve body of the relay valve defines therein an air supply chamber in fluid communication with a supply air reservoir, and a delivery chamber in fluid communication with brake cylinders. A valve seat is disposed between the air supply and delivery chambers; and is opened and closed by movement of a valve member that is actuated by a piston slidable relative to the valve body. The actuating unit includes a stem assembly moved by a pressure to press the piston so as to move the valve member, and an actuating assembly electrically connected with an electronic control unit of the vehicle to receive a brake signal therefrom to provide the pressure to the stem assembly.

The vehicle braking device performs a control which makes an actual value of physical quantity associated with a braking force follow a target value thereof when the actual value is outside a dead zone and a control which suppresses a change of the actual value when the actual value is within the dead zone and includes a judging portion which judges whether or not the actual value passes through the dead zone with a value beyond the upper limit threshold value and a setting portion which sets a second upper limit threshold value more closely approximated than a first upper limit threshold value when the actual value is judged not to pass through the dead zone, as the upper limit threshold value, when the actual value is judged to pass through the dead zone by the judging portion.

A brake controller is configured to control a brake device. The brake device applies a braking force to each of wheels by moving a pad toward a rotor provided for each of the wheels and pressing the pad against the rotor. The brake controller includes: a pressing force detection section configured to detect a pressing force information corresponding to a pressing force by which the pad is pressed against the rotor during braking; a stroke detection section configured to detect a stroke information corresponding to a stroke amount of the pad toward the rotor during braking, wherein the brake controller distributes the braking force to each of the wheels such that the pressing force is in a range other than a predetermined range, and sets the predetermined range based on the pressing force information and the stroke information.

A predictive maintenance system for determining when an item of equipment on a rail car is due for servicing. A server is configured to receive run data relating to a train and a database is associated with the server to maintain identifying information about the rail car, status information about an item of equipment, the date when the item of equipment will likely be due for servicing, and the current location of the rail car. The service date is calculated from the run data by estimating the amount of wear that likely has occurred based on the run data. The estimated amount of wear may then be used to determine the amount of wear remaining and the date when the equipment will likely reach its lifespan based on estimated use to date and the rate of usage.

A predictive maintenance system for determining when an item of equipment on a rail car is due for servicing. A server is configured to receive run data relating to a train and a database is associated with the server to maintain identifying information about the rail car, status information about an item of equipment, the date when the item of equipment will likely be due for servicing, and the current location of the rail car. The service date is calculated from the run data by estimating the amount of wear that likely has occurred based on the run data. The estimated amount of wear may then be used to determine the amount of wear remaining and the date when the equipment will likely reach its lifespan based on estimated use to date and the rate of usage.

A corrective device for correcting uneven brake shoe wear on a brake mechanism for a railway vehicle, wherein the railway vehicle includes a brake beam having a tension beam coupled to a compression beam, a brake head with brake shoes provided at each end of the brake beams, and a slack adjuster. The corrective device is configured to cooperate with at least one of the compression beam and the slack adjuster to minimize or prevent the compression beam and the tension beam from rotating relative to the wheels and side frames of the railway vehicle. A braking system including the corrective device and a method for correcting uneven brake shoe wear on a brake mechanism for a railway vehicle is also provided.

A corrective device for correcting uneven brake shoe wear on a brake mechanism for a railway vehicle, wherein the railway vehicle includes a brake beam having a tension beam coupled to a compression beam, a brake head with brake shoes provided at each end of the brake beams, and a slack adjuster. The corrective device is configured to cooperate with at least one of the compression beam and the slack adjuster to minimize or prevent the compression beam and the tension beam from rotating relative to the wheels and side frames of the railway vehicle. A braking system including the corrective device and a method for correcting uneven brake shoe wear on a brake mechanism for a railway vehicle is also provided.

A vehicle control method includes, by a controller, while an engine is auto-stopped and an electric parking brake is engaged, auto-starting the engine without releasing the electric parking brake responsive to application of an accelerator pedal less than a predefined amount, and auto-starting the engine and releasing the electric parking brake responsive to application of the accelerator pedal greater than the predefined amount. The method also includes comprising auto-stopping the engine and engaging the electric parking brake responsive to vehicle speed being less than a predefined threshold speed.

A braking system and method utilizing a simplified estimate of a distance between two locations on the earth based on spherical geometry. A braking system utilizing the aforementioned simplified estimate does not require computationally intensive calculations and is more efficient and better equipped to handle real-time generation of distance estimates for braking needs and variable conditions. In the present invention, geodesics evaluations are not used; rather, a modified Haversine formula that simplifies computations is used, including a one-time computation of the cosine of latitude coordinate.