A warning system for detecting approaching object and method thereof are provided. A detection unit detects a moving path of the approaching object; a storage unit stores a warning information including the warning area and the confirmation condition; and a processing unit receives the detection signal provided by the detection unit to acquire the current moving path of the approaching object. When the approaching object is detected as moving in the buffering zone, the confirmation operation of the confirmation condition is activated. When the moving path falls in the warning area and fulfills the confirmation condition, the processing unit sends out a warning signal. Therefore, a potentially dangerous approaching object is accurately identified, and the warning is correctly sent.

A method for monitoring a danger area of a railway installation. At least one radio module is arranged in, or in the vicinity of, the danger area. Radio signals are transmitted by the radio module and the radio signals are received and evaluated. A pattern of the received radio signals in a basic state of the danger area is determined and when the radio signals are evaluated, differences from the pattern in the basic state are determined and a response is triggered when the differences exceed a predefined limit value. There is also described a monitoring device. The radio modules are preferably WLAN modules and the danger area is a tunnel. Timetabled breaches of the danger area by trains do not lead to an alarm and the radio modules are functionally tested by determining whether the predefined limit value is exceeded when a train travels through.

A vehicle locator includes an on-board computer and a ground penetrating radar mounted on the vehicle that is communicably connected to the on-board computer. A reflective landmark is located at a known location along the path of the vehicle. The reflective landmark includes reflective elements arranged to encode data. The ground penetrating radar transmits signal energy and detects reflected signal energy reflected by the reflective landmark and communicates encoded data representative of the reflected signal energy to the on-board computer. The on-board computer decodes the encoded data and thereby determines the location of the vehicle.

A system and method for automating railroad maintenance by a tie gang using electronic tie marking (ETM) configured to optimize railroad asset maintenance. The system enables collision avoidance between members of the tie gang performing maintenance on railway assets (e.g., Rails, Ties, Ballasts, Turnouts, Crossings, etc.). The system can generate production numbers for the railway assets and evaluate an asset queue for the tie gang to perform maintenance. The system can utilize real-time updates from the tie gang to optimize work output. The system can provide a customizable user interface to identify, track, and process information related to maintenance of the railroad asset. The system also provides for a heads-up-display (HUD) to notify an operator of relevant information, such as maintenance information, travel indicators, and updated asset queue. The system can identify a next location and calculate an optimum path based on sensor input incorporating machine-specific and environmental characteristics.

A system and method for automating railroad maintenance by a tie gang using electronic tie marking (ETM) configured to optimize railroad asset maintenance. The system enables collision avoidance between members of the tie gang performing maintenance on railway assets (e.g., Rails, Ties, Ballasts, Turnouts, Crossings, etc.). The system can generate production numbers for the railway assets and evaluate an asset queue for the tie gang to perform maintenance. The system can utilize real-time updates from the tie gang to optimize work output. The system can provide a customizable user interface to identify, track, and process information related to maintenance of the railroad asset. The system also provides for a heads-up-display (HUD) to notify an operator of relevant information, such as maintenance information, travel indicators, and updated asset queue. The system can identify a next location and calculate an optimum path based on sensor input incorporating machine-specific and environmental characteristics.

Systems and method of calibrating a range measurement system for a vehicle mounted on a guideway are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method includes: measuring a first time of transmission (TOT) between a first internal component of an on-board range measurement device and a second internal component of a wayside range measurement device. The first TOT is compared with a first pre-determined time. A health of the range measurement system is determined based on a difference between the first TOT and the first pre-determined time.

Railroad crossing object detection systems and methods include radar sensors detecting object presence, speed and heading in a different manner. A controller compares signal outputs from the different sensors to provide traffic control preemption signals and self-diagnose sensor problems. The sensor devices may include an ultra-wideband (UWB) impulse radar device and at least one reflective device providing failsafe object presence detection and object non-presence detection in redundant fashion with at least a second sensor device such as a side-fired radar device.

In some embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium includes instructions to identify, based upon Doppler-speed determination from one or more radars, radar targets within a hitbox for determining a first stationary status of a vehicle based on tracking Doppler-speed radar targets in a hitbox region. The medium also includes instructions to identify, based upon the Doppler speed determination from the one or more radars, field-of-view (FOV) radar targets for determining a second stationary status based on a substantial number and a distribution of Doppler-speed determinations for the FOV radar targets. The medium also includes instructions to confirm, based on detecting a change in either of the first or the second stationary status of the vehicle, an acceleration sensed by an inertial measurement unit onboard the vehicle.

A system, methods and devices for automating inspection of a brake system on a railway vehicle, such as a freight car or train of a plurality of cars is provided. According to preferred embodiments, the system may be configured for use in conjunction with existing braking systems currently on railway vehicles, such as those on freight cars and other railway vehicles. The system, methods and devices comprise a wireless brake monitoring sensor that includes a radar unit or circuitry and directs a beam toward a target to monitor a condition or position of a brake or brake component.

Methods, systems and devices for monitoring the stress of a rail, in particular, of continuous welded rail (CWR), providing a device that includes radar processing mechanisms and circuitry which is mountable on a rail to be monitored. The radar unit is sealed in a housing and projects a beam to a fixed target that is within a detection range of the radar unit. The radar unit also includes circuitry that allows programming of readings to take place at predetermined time intervals so changes and the extent of changes in conditions of the rail may be determined, and communicated to a remotely situated monitoring device, which may take place through a gateway or other communication network. The devices also may be used to measure temperature and other properties, rail conditions within a tunnel, such as proximity of the rail to walls, as well as ground condition, and bridge monitoring.