System includes a control system used to control operation of a vehicle system as the vehicle system moves along a route. The vehicle system includes a plurality of system vehicles in which adjacent system vehicles are operatively coupled such that the adjacent system vehicles are permitted to move relative to one another. The control system includes one or more processors that are configured to (a) receive operational settings of the vehicle system and (b) input the operational settings into a system model of the vehicle system to determine an observed metric of the vehicle system. The one or more processors are also configured to (c) compare the observed metric to a reference metric and (d) modify the operational settings of the vehicle system based on differences between the observed and the reference metrics.

System includes a control system used to control operation of a vehicle system as the vehicle system moves along a route. The vehicle system includes a plurality of system vehicles in which adjacent system vehicles are operatively coupled such that the adjacent system vehicles are permitted to move relative to one another. The control system includes one or more processors that are configured to (a) receive operational settings of the vehicle system and (b) input the operational settings into a system model of the vehicle system to determine an observed metric of the vehicle system. The one or more processors are also configured to (c) compare the observed metric to a reference metric and (d) modify the operational settings of the vehicle system based on differences between the observed and the reference metrics.

A signal aspect enforcement method for a rail vehicle includes determining if vehicle position is unknown. The system determines if rail vehicle speed is less than a line-of-sight threshold speed. The system determines the grade of the rail. A worst-case braking distance of rail vehicle is calculated. The signal aspect is determined using a camera system and a beacon system. The system determines if the signal aspect determined by camera system is same as signal aspect determined by beacon system and, if so, determines the route of rail vehicle and speed limit of rail vehicle.

A signal aspect enforcement method for a rail vehicle includes determining if vehicle position is unknown. The system determines if rail vehicle speed is less than a line-of-sight threshold speed. The system determines the grade of the rail. A worst-case braking distance of rail vehicle is calculated. The signal aspect is determined using a camera system and a beacon system. The system determines if the signal aspect determined by camera system is same as signal aspect determined by beacon system and, if so, determines the route of rail vehicle and speed limit of rail vehicle.

There is disclosed a driverless transport system, DTS, (10) comprising: a travelling course (12), formed of routes (14), preferably travelled unidirectionally, which are defined respectively by one track (28), and of markers (16); a fleet (18) of at least two driverless transport vehicles, DTV, (20) travelling along the tracks (28) in a forcibly guided manner; and at least one station (26) defined by: at least one of the tracks (28), at least one of the markers (16), and an individualizing assigned station identifier; wherein each of the stations (26) can comprise a terminal (70) for allocation of travelling destination and wherein each of the stations (26) represents an area of the travelling course (12), within which the DTVs (20) can get assigned a new travelling destination and/or can be loaded, unloaded, energetically charged, and/or stopped; wherein the markers (16) include information, which is station-specific by being associating the respective information with the respectively assigned station identifier; wherein each of the DTVs (20) comprises: a communication unit (52) for transmitting and receiving information; a marker-detection unit (54) for reading, preferably contactless, the information from the markers (16); and a controlling unit (58) for processing read and received information; and wherein communication between the DTV (20) and communication between the DTVs (20) and terminals (70) is respectively performed directly, and in particular in a DTV-unspecific manner.

There is disclosed a driverless transport system, DTS, (10) comprising: a travelling course (12), formed of routes (14), preferably travelled unidirectionally, which are defined respectively by one track (28), and of markers (16); a fleet (18) of at least two driverless transport vehicles, DTV, (20) travelling along the tracks (28) in a forcibly guided manner; and at least one station (26) defined by: at least one of the tracks (28), at least one of the markers (16), and an individualizing assigned station identifier; wherein each of the stations (26) can comprise a terminal (70) for allocation of travelling destination and wherein each of the stations (26) represents an area of the travelling course (12), within which the DTVs (20) can get assigned a new travelling destination and/or can be loaded, unloaded, energetically charged, and/or stopped; wherein the markers (16) include information, which is station-specific by being associating the respective information with the respectively assigned station identifier; wherein each of the DTVs (20) comprises: a communication unit (52) for transmitting and receiving information; a marker-detection unit (54) for reading, preferably contactless, the information from the markers (16); and a controlling unit (58) for processing read and received information; and wherein communication between the DTV (20) and communication between the DTVs (20) and terminals (70) is respectively performed directly, and in particular in a DTV-unspecific manner.

A signal aspect enforcement method for a rail vehicle includes determining if vehicle position is unknown. The system determines if rail vehicle speed is less than a line-of-sight threshold speed. The system determines the grade of the rail. A worst-case braking distance of rail vehicle is calculated. The signal aspect is determined using a camera system and a beacon system. The system determines if the signal aspect determined by camera system is same as signal aspect determined by beacon system and, if so, determines the route of rail vehicle and speed limit of rail vehicle.

A signal aspect enforcement method for a rail vehicle includes determining if vehicle position is unknown. The system determines if rail vehicle speed is less than a line-of-sight threshold speed. The system determines the grade of the rail. A worst-case braking distance of rail vehicle is calculated. The signal aspect is determined using a camera system and a beacon system. The system determines if the signal aspect determined by camera system is same as signal aspect determined by beacon system and, if so, determines the route of rail vehicle and speed limit of rail vehicle.

An apparatus for sensing and optimizing the stopping-point accuracy of a vehicle. The apparatus includes at least one sensor unit, which can be arranged on the vehicle, and at least one evaluation unit connected to the sensor unit. The at least one sensor unit is configured to measure a distance relative to a gap profile arranged at a stopping point to which the vehicle travels and to transmit the measurement result to the evaluation unit connected to the sensor unit. There is also described a corresponding system including the apparatus and the distance profile, and also a vehicle with such an apparatus.

A method for operating a railroad vehicle without reference to physical railroad signs placed along a railroad track includes determining a current location of the railroad vehicle along the railroad track based on the determined current location of the railroad vehicle, automatically selecting a virtual railroad sign from one or more databases containing a plurality of virtual railroad signs, each of the plurality of virtual railroad signs stored in the one or more databases being associated with (i) a location along the railroad track and (ii) a message, and displaying, on an electronic display device a railroad track indicia representative of a segment of the railroad track, a railroad vehicle indicia representative of at least a portion of the railroad vehicle, and an indicia representative of the associated message of the selected virtual railroad sign.