A rail vehicle includes a truck having wheels for engaging a railroad track, a bolster supported by the truck, and a tank supported by the bolster for storing a lading. A measurement system measures the level of the lading within the tank and includes gauges and a controller. The gauges are disposed at selected points on the bolster for sensing at least one of lateral and longitudinal localized displacement experienced by the bolster during motion of the rail vehicle. The controller calculates the level of the lading within the tank and compensates for changes in the level of the lading during motion of the rail vehicle in response to signals generated by the gauges.

This application relates to an overload and unbalanced load detecting system for a railway and a detecting method. This system includes at least one steel rail. A rail web of each steel rail is provided with two sampling points at two sides between every two adjacent rail sleepers, respectively, and the two sampling points on one side are symmetrically disposed about the steel rail with respect to the two sampling points on the other side. A fiber-optic sensitive element used for continuously measuring a load when a train passes through the two sampling points is obliquely fixed at each sampling point, and two fiber-optic sensitive elements on the same side of each steel rail are disposed at an angle of 90 with each other.

A novel system for providing for safe operation of railgear, that is, a set of guide wheels that allow road vehicles to travel on railroad tracks, based on the use of overload indicators installed on the suspension arm of each guide wheel to give operators a quick, visual representation of whether or not a guide wheel is overloaded.

A load measuring device for a railcar bogie in which a vibrationproof rubber between an axle box and a bogie frame includes a vertical load fluctuation sensor in parallel with the vibrationproof rubber and configured to deform in conjunction with elastic deformation of the vibrationproof rubber in a vertical direction, the vibrationproof rubber supporting a downward load from the bogie frame. The vertical load fluctuation sensor changes an electric output by the deformation of the vertical load fluctuation sensor in conjunction with the elastic deformation of the vibrationproof rubber in the vertical direction.

The invention is intended for conserving energy expended by railway rolling stock, for instance by a locomotive when carrying out train operations and shunting, when trains are run in an automatic mode or in a train operator assistance mode. A method for increasing the efficiency of rolling stock includes the following steps: obtaining the parameters of the rolling stock, including at least the following: speed, coordinates, overhead system voltage, traction engine current voltage, brake line discharging; in addition, determining at least the dependence parameters of an active traction force, braking force, motion resistance force, force of wheel adherence to the rails, and the mass of the rolling stock; then, determining the optimal control to be carried out by traction and braking equipment of railway rolling stock based on the dependence parameters obtained during the previous step; then, transmitting the optimal control, determined during the previous step, to a rolling stock control system for implementation or for displaying to the train operator.

The invention is intended for conserving energy expended by railway rolling stock, for instance by a locomotive when carrying out train operations and shunting, when trains are run in an automatic mode or in a train operator assistance mode. A method for increasing the efficiency of rolling stock includes the following steps: obtaining the parameters of the rolling stock, including at least the following: speed, coordinates, overhead system voltage, traction engine current voltage, brake line discharging; in addition, determining at least the dependence parameters of an active traction force, braking force, motion resistance force, force of wheel adherence to the rails, and the mass of the rolling stock; then, determining the optimal control to be carried out by traction and braking equipment of railway rolling stock based on the dependence parameters obtained during the previous step; then, transmitting the optimal control, determined during the previous step, to a rolling stock control system for implementation or for displaying to the train operator.

A train loading system for loading material onto cars of a train is disclosed. The system comprises a material bin arranged to receive material to be loaded onto the train, a closure device arranged to facilitate control by an operator of the amount of material loaded into each car from the material bin, and a car mass estimator arranged to estimate the mass of material loaded into each car. The system also comprises a display arranged to communicate to the operator the estimated mass of material loaded into each car. A corresponding method is also disclosed.

A train loading system for loading material onto cars of a train is disclosed. The system comprises a material bin arranged to receive material to be loaded onto the train, a closure device arranged to facilitate control by an operator of the amount of material loaded into each car from the material bin, and a car mass estimator arranged to estimate the mass of material loaded into each car. The system also comprises a display arranged to communicate to the operator the estimated mass of material loaded into each car. A corresponding method is also disclosed.

A system for determining a weight status of a railway vehicle. An emitter to emit radio waves. A first detector arranged on the vehicle to detect radio waves and generate a first distance data set. A second detector arranged on the vehicle to detect radio waves and generate a second distance data set. A third detector arranged on the vehicle to detect radio waves and generate a third distance data set. A fourth detector arranged on the vehicle to detect radio waves and generate a fourth distance data set. The first-fourth distance data set indicate a displacement of the vehicle relative at least one of the rails, the railroad and the ground. The first-fourth detector are arranged at different locations on the vehicle. A processing unit to receive the first-fourth distance data set and determine a weight status of the vehicle based at least on the first-fourth distance data set.

A system for determining a weight status of a railway vehicle. An emitter to emit radio waves. A first detector arranged on the vehicle to detect radio waves and generate a first distance data set. A second detector arranged on the vehicle to detect radio waves and generate a second distance data set. A third detector arranged on the vehicle to detect radio waves and generate a third distance data set. A fourth detector arranged on the vehicle to detect radio waves and generate a fourth distance data set. The first-fourth distance data set indicate a displacement of the vehicle relative at least one of the rails, the railroad and the ground. The first-fourth detector are arranged at different locations on the vehicle. A processing unit to receive the first-fourth distance data set and determine a weight status of the vehicle based at least on the first-fourth distance data set.