An economical information transmission system for rail transport includes a transmitter having a known transmission power for communication between a track section and a rail vehicle. A receiver has at least one first adjustable receive level threshold, with which a maximum distance between the transmitter and the receiver can be defined in a particular application, within which the receiver is able to receive with respect to the transmitter. An information transmission method is also provided.

An improved switch point machine is provided which can seal out water, even if the machine itself becomes submerged. The operating rod and the point indicating rod that extend out of the switch box housing should be ground round and have a smooth surface for an improved seal. Those rods are preferably chrome plated. Dynamic hydraulic seals can be used to seal out moisture. Internal components, within the switch box housing, should also be sealed to be water resistant in the event water does enter the housing.

An improved switch point machine is provided which can seal out water, even if the machine itself becomes submerged. The operating rod and the point indicating rod that extend out of the switch box housing should be ground round and have a smooth surface for an improved seal. Those rods are preferably chrome plated. Dynamic hydraulic seals can be used to seal out moisture. Internal components, within the switch box housing, should also be sealed to be water resistant in the event water does enter the housing.

The invention relates to a device for fastening trackside modules to a rail having a base and a head. The device includes two clamps that are clamped on the base of the rail with the use of a mechanism that extends under the base of the rail. At least one of the clamps is movable. A bracket is fastened to at least one of the clamps and a trackside module is fastened next to the head of the rail. A pair of brackets is fastened with the use of fasteners to surfaces of each of the clamps. The brackets extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the rail and at least one upwardly extending section is fastened using second fasteners to at least one of the brackets outer side surfaces. At least one trackside module is fastened to an upper end region of at least one upwardly extending section.

The invention relates to a device for fastening trackside modules to a rail having a base and a head. The device includes two clamps that are clamped on the base of the rail with the use of a mechanism that extends under the base of the rail. At least one of the clamps is movable. A bracket is fastened to at least one of the clamps and a trackside module is fastened next to the head of the rail. A pair of brackets is fastened with the use of fasteners to surfaces of each of the clamps. The brackets extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the rail and at least one upwardly extending section is fastened using second fasteners to at least one of the brackets outer side surfaces. At least one trackside module is fastened to an upper end region of at least one upwardly extending section.

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 system for a light emitting diode (LED) signal (100) includes optical detectors (120) for measuring a light output of LEDs (112, 114), a first processing unit (124) in communication with the plurality of optical detectors (120) and configured to receive and process measurement data of the light output from the plurality of optical detectors (120), and a first switching element (130) operably coupled to the first processing unit (124). The first processing unit (124) is further configured to transmit a control signal based on the measurement data of the light output of the plurality of LEDs (112, 114) to the first switching element (130) to disconnect a reference load (150) by switching from a first state to a second state when the light output is less than a predefined threshold value, wherein the second state of the first switching element (130) is stored in a storage medium (148).

A monitoring system for a light emitting diode (LED) signal (100) includes optical detectors (120) for measuring a light output of LEDs (112, 114), a first processing unit (124) in communication with the plurality of optical detectors (120) and configured to receive and process measurement data of the light output from the plurality of optical detectors (120), and a first switching element (130) operably coupled to the first processing unit (124). The first processing unit (124) is further configured to transmit a control signal based on the measurement data of the light output of the plurality of LEDs (112, 114) to the first switching element (130) to disconnect a reference load (150) by switching from a first state to a second state when the light output is less than a predefined threshold value, wherein the second state of the first switching element (130) is stored in a storage medium (148).

For diagnosing a railroad switch with a point machine, a first and a second time series of a sensor signal of the point machine are received. Moreover, changes in the first and the second time series are detected indicating changes of operational conditions of the point machine. Furthermore, an event point of a respective change in the first and in the second time series is allocated to a respective component of the railroad switch or of the point machine based on a simulation modelling the respective component. Then for a respective component: event points allocated to that respective component are identified, the sensor signal at a first identified event point in the first time series is compared with the sensor signal at a second identified event point in the second time series, and depending on the comparison a component-specific fault information and an identification of the respective component are output.

For diagnosing a railroad switch with a point machine, a first and a second time series of a sensor signal of the point machine are received. Moreover, changes in the first and the second time series are detected indicating changes of operational conditions of the point machine. Furthermore, an event point of a respective change in the first and in the second time series is allocated to a respective component of the railroad switch or of the point machine based on a simulation modelling the respective component. Then for a respective component: event points allocated to that respective component are identified, the sensor signal at a first identified event point in the first time series is compared with the sensor signal at a second identified event point in the second time series, and depending on the comparison a component-specific fault information and an identification of the respective component are output.