A job aid system and method determine conditions in which a vehicle system is operating or will operate during movement of the vehicle system along one or more routes. A context-sensitive action checklist is selected or generated based on one or more of the conditions. Input from the operator of the vehicle system is received in response to one or more action items in the context-sensitive action checklist that is presented to the operator. An alertness level of the operator is determined based on the input that is received from the operator. One or more alerting actions can be implemented to increase the alertness level of the operator.

A system and method are for controlling a train traveling along track blocks. A first signal transmitter is installed at a first track block and transmits, using a predefined range of transmission frequencies, first signals for detecting when the train enters the first track block. A second signal transmitter is installed at an adjacent second track block and transmits, using a predefined range of transmission frequencies different from the predefined range of transmission frequencies used by the first signal transmitter, second signals for detecting when the train enters the second track block. One or more signal receivers on board of the train are configured to receive the transmitted first and second signals, and an onboard controller is configured, based on signals supplied by the one or more receivers indicative of the first and second signals received, to identify when the train enters the first or second track blocks.

Provided is a method of operating a network device for train control in a wireless communication system, the method including: generating control information for train control; providing a first control command to a first base station through a first interface based on the control information; and providing a second control command to a second base station through a second interface based on the control information, wherein the first control command or the second control command is provided to the first base station or the second base station through the first interface or the second interface via a first core network for train control, and one of the first base station and the second base station is connected to a second core network.

A vehicle control system includes a controller configured to control communication between or among plural vehicle devices that control movement of a single vehicle system or a multi-vehicle system via a network that communicatively couples the vehicle devices. The controller also is configured to control the communication using a data distribution service (DDS) and with the network operating as a time sensitive network (TSN). The controller is configured to direct a first set of the vehicle devices to communicate using time sensitive communications, a different, second set of the vehicle devices to communicate using best effort communications, and a different, third set of the vehicle devices to communicate using rate constrained communications.

Disclosed are a method and device for detecting a direction of motion of a wheel on a rail track. The device includes at least one magnet for providing a magnetic field; a magnetic field sensor for sensing a magnetic field value indicative for a flux density, or a change in the flux density of the provided magnetic field; and at least one processor in communication with the magnetic field sensor. The at least one processor is configured to: obtain a plurality of the magnetic field values for respective times from the magnetic field sensor; and to analyse the obtained plurality of magnetic field values such that a direction of motion of a wheel passing the device is obtained.

To improve throughput rates of packets transmitting positive train control (PTC) messages in an asynchronous wireless network that supports controlling movement of trains, data rates are adjusted based one or more conditions of the link. Modulation and coding schemes with less overhead can be employed to increase the data rate at which information is transferred when an estimated link quality or conditions are relatively good. Conversely, when the estimated link quality is relatively poor, more robust modulation and coding schemes for transmissions can be used to maintain link performance but at the cost of reduced data rates. Optionally, if the estimated link quality is higher than required to achieve a predefined maximum transmit rate at a given default power rate, transmit power can be reduced to that necessary for transmit at the predefined maximum transmit rate.

An End-of-Train device, a system and a method for signaling events through a visibility marker is provided. The method includes identifying an illumination pattern generated by the visibility marker associated with an End-of-Train device on a leading train, wherein the illumination pattern is identified based on output of one or more secondary sensors on the follower train, and wherein the illumination pattern is indicative of an event affecting an operation of the leading train. Based on the identified illumination pattern one or more instructions to be executed are determined. Further, the one or more instructions are executed for signalling events through the visibility marker associated with the follower train.

A monitoring system is provided that may include a sensor configured to detect at least one characteristic related to at least one axle of a first vehicle. The monitoring system may also include a controller having one or more processors in communication with the sensor. The one or more processors may be configured to restrict movement of the first vehicle based at least in part on the at least one characteristic related to the at least one vehicle axle, and vary movement of a second vehicle based at least in part on the at least one characteristic related to the at least one vehicle axle.

Systems and methods are provided for decentralized rail signaling and positive train control. A decentralized train control system may include a plurality of wayside units, configured for placement on or near tracks in a railway network, and one or more train-mounted units, each configured for use in a train operating in a railway network that support use of the decentralized train control system. Each train-mounted unit may configured to receive communicate with any wayside unit and/or train-mounted unit that comes within range, with the communicating including use of ultra-wideband (UWB) signals, and for generating control information based on the UWB signals, for use in controlling one or more functions associated with operation of the train.

A train communication system which performs communication between a vehicle-mounted device and a TCMS includes one or a plurality of the vehicle-mounted devices and the TCMS. The vehicle-mounted device converts a signal to the TCMS into a signal in a network transmission format which is a format used for transmission over a network connectable by a plurality of vehicle-mounted devices and transmits the signal via the network and converts a signal in the network transmission format received from the TCMS via the network into a signal in an original format. The TCMS converts a signal to the vehicle-mounted device into a signal in the network transmission format and transmits the signal via the network, and converts a signal in the network transmission format received from the vehicle-mounted device via the network into a signal in an original format.