A surface conditioning device for railway track rails and/or railway vehicle wheels includes a DC power supply, a supply of gas, a plasma delivery head connected to receive DC power from the power supply and gas from the gas supply, and an igniter for igniting the gas in the plasma delivery head. In use, plasma is generated within the delivery head by ignition of the gas in the delivery head. Plasma with gas is blown from the delivery head onto a railway track rail and/or railway vehicle wheel, thereby conditioning the rail and/or wheel.

A surface conditioning device for railway track rails and/or railway vehicle wheels includes a DC power supply, a supply of gas, a plasma delivery head connected to receive DC power from the power supply and gas from the gas supply, and an igniter for igniting the gas in the plasma delivery head. In use, plasma is generated within the delivery head by ignition of the gas in the delivery head. Plasma with gas is blown from the delivery head onto a railway track rail and/or railway vehicle wheel, thereby conditioning the rail and/or wheel.

A railway system has a diagnostic system for monitoring railway components of the railway system and at least one railway component connected to the diagnostic system. The railway component is configured to automatically transmit a self-describing data set to the diagnostic system and/or allow the diagnostic system to request such a data set as part of a plug-and-play process upon being connected. The diagnostic system is configured to receive the data set from the railway component and to integrate the railway component into the remaining diagnostic operation on the basis of the data set.

A railway system has a diagnostic system for monitoring railway components of the railway system and at least one railway component connected to the diagnostic system. The railway component is configured to automatically transmit a self-describing data set to the diagnostic system and/or allow the diagnostic system to request such a data set as part of a plug-and-play process upon being connected. The diagnostic system is configured to receive the data set from the railway component and to integrate the railway component into the remaining diagnostic operation on the basis of the data set.

A deployable measurement system for analyzing a rail of a railroad track includes a housing, a reflecting assembly coupled to the housing, a movement assembly coupled to the housing, and an optical measurement system disposed within the housing. Both the housing and the reflecting assembly are moveable between a stored position and a deployed position. The movement assembly includes a deployment assembly that moves the reflecting assembly from the stored position to the deployed position, and a retraction assembly that moves the reflecting assembly from the deployed position to the stored position. The optical measurement system emits and receives light. The reflecting assembly reflects the emitted light toward the rail. The reflecting assembly reflects light reflected off of the rail toward the optical measurement system. The light received by the optical measurement system is used to measure parameters related to the rail.

A deployable measurement system for analyzing a rail of a railroad track includes a housing, a reflecting assembly coupled to the housing, a movement assembly coupled to the housing, and an optical measurement system disposed within the housing. Both the housing and the reflecting assembly are moveable between a stored position and a deployed position. The movement assembly includes a deployment assembly that moves the reflecting assembly from the stored position to the deployed position, and a retraction assembly that moves the reflecting assembly from the deployed position to the stored position. The optical measurement system emits and receives light. The reflecting assembly reflects the emitted light toward the rail. The reflecting assembly reflects light reflected off of the rail toward the optical measurement system. The light received by the optical measurement system is used to measure parameters related to the rail.

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving first Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data associated with a railroad environment, extracting an asset from the first LiDAR data associated with the railroad environment, and superimposing the asset into a spatial model. The method also includes receiving a field indication associated with a modification to the railroad environment and modifying the spatial model in response to receiving the field indication associated with the modification to the railroad environment. The method further includes receiving second LiDAR data associated with the railroad environment and comparing the second LiDAR data to the modified spatial model.

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving first Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data associated with a railroad environment, extracting an asset from the first LiDAR data associated with the railroad environment, and superimposing the asset into a spatial model. The method also includes receiving a field indication associated with a modification to the railroad environment and modifying the spatial model in response to receiving the field indication associated with the modification to the railroad environment. The method further includes receiving second LiDAR data associated with the railroad environment and comparing the second LiDAR data to the modified spatial model.

A method includes obtaining creep measurements and tractive/braking measurements from at least one vehicle system at different locations along a route segment while the at least one vehicle system moves through the route segment. The method also includes calculating tribology characteristics of the route segment at the different locations. The tribology characteristics are based on the creep measurements and the tractive/braking measurements from the at least one vehicle system. The tribology characteristics are indicative of a friction coefficient of the route segment at the different locations. The method also includes determining an effectiveness of a friction modifier applied to the route segment based on the tribology characteristics.

A method includes obtaining creep measurements and tractive/braking measurements from at least one vehicle system at different locations along a route segment while the at least one vehicle system moves through the route segment. The method also includes calculating tribology characteristics of the route segment at the different locations. The tribology characteristics are based on the creep measurements and the tractive/braking measurements from the at least one vehicle system. The tribology characteristics are indicative of a friction coefficient of the route segment at the different locations. The method also includes determining an effectiveness of a friction modifier applied to the route segment based on the tribology characteristics.