A method and system monitor coupler fatigue by determining an upcoming fatigue metric representative of fatigue that is to be experienced by a coupler configured to connect plural vehicles in a vehicle system, determining whether a failure metric of the coupler during the upcoming trip exceeds a designated failure threshold (where the failure metric is based on the upcoming fatigue metric), and, responsive to determining that the failure metric exceeds the designated failure threshold, one or more of notifying an operator of the upcoming fatigue metric, displaying one or more of the upcoming fatigue metric or the failure metric, changing a driving plan for controlling movement of the vehicle system during the upcoming trip, and/or changing a characteristic of the vehicle system.

A method for measuring a parameter relevant to a journey of a rail vehicle. A parameter measurement value is determined using a control loop. A vehicle-side torque acting on a rotational part on the vehicle side is ascertained. A calculation module uses the vehicle-side torque value and a frictional engagement torque acting between the rotational part and a rail, to calculate a rotational acceleration of the rotational part and an expected rotational speed. A difference between the rotational estimated value and an actual rotational speed is supplied to a control device which outputs a controller output value at the output side. A frictional engagement torque value is recalculated with the controller output value and is coupled back into the computer module to close the control loop. The controller output and/or the recalculated frictional engagement torque value is considered the parameter measurement value, which is stored or output.

A system may include a sensor that detects positioning data indicative of a position of a first coupler of a first vehicle system and positioning data indicative of a position of a second coupler of a second vehicle system during a coupling event of the vehicle systems. A controller includes one or more processors that receive the positioning data of the first and second couplers and determines whether the first coupler is misaligned with the second coupler. The controller may initiate an action of the first coupler, the second coupler, the first vehicle system, or the second vehicle system to change a position of the first coupler, the second coupler, the first vehicle system, or the second vehicle system. Changing the position of the first coupler, the second coupler, the first vehicle system, or the second vehicle system aligns the first coupler with the second coupler.

A control system for a vehicle includes a first controller, a second controller, and an auto-tuner. The first controller is configured to generate an optimal trajectory of the vehicle along a path. The second controller is configured to, based on the optimal trajectory generated by the first controller, generate motoring and braking commands to a motoring and braking system of the vehicle for controlling the vehicle to travel along the path. The auto-tuner includes a processor configured to solve a real-time optimization problem to determine at least one parameter of at least one of the first controller or the second controller.

The present invention provides an operation system which can finely control the operation of a train in response to the operation state of the train at low cost in a traffic system that uses a process of dynamically setting a path and an operation interval. This traffic control system is provided with: on-board control units installed on trains that are traveling, and an on-ground control unit installed on the ground. The on-board control units are installed on a plurality of trains, respectively, the operations of which are managed by the traffic control systems, perform a track demand on the basis of a delivered operation mode, and deliver information on the track demand to the on-ground control unit. The on-ground control unit controls the progress of the train on the basis of the delivered track demand.

Systems and methods for controlling a train may override wayside interface units (WIUs) and/or override wayside devices. An example control system may comprise a transceiver configured to receive a status from a WIU and an on board unit (OBU) coupled to the transceiver. The OBU may be configured to override the command from the WIU and ignore a status from another wayside device associated with the WIU. The OBU may enforce all positive train control commands other than commands from sources associated with the overridden WIU.

A train speed profiling system for use in connection with a train management system that can generate a virtual profile of a predetermined route having an estimated time of arrival at a destination based on data specific to the route and the actual train that will travel on the route. The virtual profile may be adjusted for any acceleration and any deceleration required by the train, and then optimized for reduced fuel consumption by reducing braking effort and improving coasting opportunities over the route if the estimated time of arrival is earlier than a desired time of arrival. The virtual profile may further be conformed so that the estimate time of arrival matches the desired time of arrival within a narrow threshold.

A method includes determining a location of a vehicle system traveling on a track during a first trip relative to a curve in the track. The method also includes monitoring a temperature profile at a contact interface between a wheel of the vehicle system and a rail of the track that contacts the wheel as the vehicle system traverses the curve in the track. The temperature profile is based, at least in part, on a first speed profile of the vehicle system during the first trip. The method further includes analyzing the temperature profile to detect a flanging event between the wheel and the rail as the vehicle system traverses along the curve in response to the temperature profile indicating that a flange of the wheel engages a side of the rail.

Disclosed is method including receiving digital vessel data for a global fleet of vessels, the digital vessel data being one or more of AIS data, image data or radar data and combining one or more of pieces of data. The method includes inferring, based on the first combined data, a loaded/empty status of a vessel or a cargo. The method includes combining other data to yield second combined data, receiving data regarding one or more of supply, demand, and amount of available cargo to yield third combined data, generating information relating to a supply of vessels available to load at a specified port and/or deliver a cargo to a specified port, in each case within a specified period of time and generating suggestions for one or more vessels regarding future routes based on the data.

A vehicle control system includes a controller that determines a communication loss between a first vehicle and a second vehicle and/or a monitoring device in a vehicle system. The controller determines an operational restriction on movement of the vehicle system based on the communication loss that is determined, and obtains a transitional plan that designates operational settings of the vehicle system at different locations along a route being traveled by the vehicle system, different distances along the route, and/or different times. The controller also automatically changes the movement of the vehicle system according to the operational settings designated by the transitional plan to reduce the movement of the vehicle system to or below the operational restriction determined by the controller responsive to the communication loss being detected.