The present disclosure generally relates to a rail warning system using wireless portable transmitters/receivers. The rail warning system uses a chirp spread spectrum modulation scheme, and alerts personnel in work zones on or near train tracks as well as optionally, on track equipment and train operators, of approaching trains or on track equipment. Portable wayside devices may also be positioned on the rail web, optionally magnetically, to alert work personnel, allowing for secure placement but also portability to other locations on the same track or adjacent tracks.

A monitoring unit (20) for monitoring a linear asset (21) comprises a connection to a data output (22) of a distributed sensor (23) arranged along the linear asset (21), where the linear asset (21) has a length which is different from the length of the distributed sensor (23), and a processing unit (33) which is configured to receive a data signal provided by the distributed sensor (23), to apply a transfer function, to evaluate the data signal and to provide a tracking output signal, wherein evaluating the data signal comprises miming an evaluation algorithm, the transfer function is applied to the data signal or to the evaluation algorithm, and by applying the transfer function the data signal or the evaluation algorithm is normalised. Furthermore, a method for monitoring a linear asset (21) is provided.

In one aspect, a mobile railway asset monitoring apparatus is provided that includes a sensor configured to produce a signal indicative of a rotation of a wheelset of a mobile railway asset. The apparatus further includes a processor to receive data corresponding to a ground speed of the mobile railway asset. The processor is operably coupled to the sensor, the processor configured to estimate a running dimension of the wheelset based at least in part on the rotation of the wheelset and the ground speed of the mobile railway asset. The processor is configured to determine at least one parameter of the mobile railway asset based at least in part on the running dimension of the wheelset.

In one aspect, a mobile railway asset monitoring apparatus is provided that includes a sensor configured to produce a signal indicative of a rotation of a wheelset of a mobile railway asset. The apparatus further includes a processor to receive data corresponding to a ground speed of the mobile railway asset. The processor is operably coupled to the sensor, the processor configured to estimate a running dimension of the wheelset based at least in part on the rotation of the wheelset and the ground speed of the mobile railway asset. The processor is configured to determine at least one parameter of the mobile railway asset based at least in part on the running dimension of the wheelset.

A monitoring method and system monitor a transmitted current that is injected into conductive components of a route traveled by vehicle systems, monitor a received current that represents a portion of the transmitted current that is conducted through the conductive components of the route, examine changes in the transmitted and/or received current over time to determine when the vehicle systems are on the route between a first location where the transmitted current is injected into the conductive components and a second location where the received current is monitored, and examine the changes in the transmitted and/or received currents. The changes are examined to identify (a) a contaminated portion of a surface on which the route is disposed, (b) a foreign object other than the vehicle systems that is contacting the route, and/or (c) a damaged or broken portion of at least one of the conductive components of the route.

A monitoring method and system monitor a transmitted current that is injected into conductive components of a route traveled by vehicle systems, monitor a received current that represents a portion of the transmitted current that is conducted through the conductive components of the route, examine changes in the transmitted and/or received current over time to determine when the vehicle systems are on the route between a first location where the transmitted current is injected into the conductive components and a second location where the received current is monitored, and examine the changes in the transmitted and/or received currents. The changes are examined to identify (a) a contaminated portion of a surface on which the route is disposed, (b) a foreign object other than the vehicle systems that is contacting the route, and/or (c) a damaged or broken portion of at least one of the conductive components of the route.

System (1) for detecting events or situations having associated patterns of acoustic vibrations in a train rail (2), which comprises a vibration detector unit (3) provided with an acoustic sensor (31) and attached to the rail (2) that can sense the acoustic vibrations transmitted through the rail (2) and a main assembly (4) connected to the vibration detector unit (3), wherein the vibration detector unit (3) comprises a processor (32) and the main assembly (4) comprises a control unit (41), the processor (32) comprising stored patterns corresponding to known events, the processor (32) being configured to preprocess the vibrations transmitted to the rail (2), to determine if the vibrations correspond to a stored pattern and, if the vibrations correspond to a stored pattern, send to the control unit (41) a signal associated to the event. The invention also refers to the vibration detector unit (3) itself.

The present disclosure generally relates to a rail warning system using wireless portable transmitters/receivers. The rail warning system uses a chirp spread spectrum modulation scheme, and alerts personnel in work zones on or near train tracks as well as optionally, on track equipment and train operators, of approaching trains or on track equipment. Portable wayside devices may also be positioned on the rail web, optionally magnetically, to alert work personnel, allowing for secure placement but also portability to other locations on the same track or adjacent tracks.

A railway switching machine includes a housing, a first point detector bar slidably coupled to the housing and structured to be directly coupled to a first switch point, and a second point detector bar slidably coupled to the housing and structured to be directly coupled to a second switch point.

A railcar acoustic monitoring system including a first trackside frame assembly that includes a first outer frame assembly, a second outer frame assembly, and a first inner frame assembly. The first outer frame assembly including a first microphone assembly positioned on a first outer side of the first rail of the railroad track, the first microphone assembly oriented to receive acoustic signals associated with the passing train. The second outer frame assembly including a second microphone assembly positioned on a second outer side of a second rail of the railroad track, the second microphone assembly oriented to receive acoustic signals associated with the passing train. The first inner frame assembly including a first housing, a third microphone assembly oriented to receive acoustic signals emanating from the first rail, and a fourth microphone assembly oriented to receive acoustic signals associated with the passing train.