A route examination system includes a thermographic camera configured to be logically or mechanically coupled with a vehicle that travels along a route. The thermographic camera is also configured to sense infrared radiation emitted or reflected from the route and to generate a sensed thermal signature representative of the infrared radiation that is sensed. The system also includes a computer readable memory device configured to store a designated thermal signature representative of infrared radiation emitted from a segment of the route that is not damaged. The system also includes an analysis processor configured to determine a condition of a first portion of the route relative to other portions of the route at least in part by comparing the sensed thermal signature and the designated thermal signature.

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.

A system includes a location determining circuit configured to acquire position information of a vehicle system moving along a route. The system also includes a controller circuit having one or more processors. The controller circuit is configured to calculate curvatures of the route, based at least in part on the position information, to form a curvature waveform. The controller circuit is further configured to generate a route map based on the curvature waveform.

A running profile generation device includes a storage, a speed limit setter, a reverse coasting curve generator, a parameter setter and a simulator. The speed limit setter acquires at least one speed limit section of a running section set based on a departure point and an arrival point of the running section. The reverse coasting curve generator determines a base point from a terminal position and an upper limit speed of the speed limit section and generates a reverse coasting curve based on vehicle performance information and route information stored in the storage. The parameter setter determines a coasting start position from the generated reverse coasting curve. The reverse coasting curve generator sets a range below the upper limit speed as a coasting range and sets a range at at least the upper limit speed to the upper limit speed during coasting from the base point toward the departure point.

A method includes generating a trip plan that dictates operational settings to be implemented by a vehicle system moving along a route. The trip plan is based on a temporary work order issued for a restricted segment of the route. The work order provides a maximum speed through the restricted segment for a limited time period that is expressed using a time standard. One or more of the operational settings of the trip plan specify movement of the vehicle system through the restricted segment at a vehicle speed that is less than or equal to the maximum speed. In response to determining that the temporary work order has expired, the method includes at least one of prompting an operator of the vehicle system to confirm that the work order has expired or generating a new trip plan in which the vehicle system exceeds the maximum speed through the restricted segment.

A system includes a locator device and one or more processors operably connected to the locator device. The locator device determines a trailing distance between a trailing vehicle system that travels along a route and a leading vehicle system that travels along the route ahead of the trailing vehicle system in a same direction of travel. The one or more processors compare the trailing distance to a first proximity distance relative to the leading vehicle system. In response to the trailing distance being less than the first proximity distance, the one or more processors set a permitted power output limit for the trailing vehicle system to be less than a maximum achievable power output for the trailing vehicle system, the permitted power output limit being set based on a power-to-weight ratio of the leading vehicle system.

A system includes a route examining system on a non-propulsion-generating vehicle at a trailing end of a leading vehicle system. The route examining system examines a route on which the leading vehicle system is moving to determine whether the route is damaged. The system also includes an off-board failsafe controller that communicates with the route examining system. The off-board failsafe controller sends a warning signal to the trailing vehicle system responsive to receiving a notification signal from the route examining system indicating detection of damage to the route. The off-board failsafe controller also sends the warning signal to the trailing vehicle system responsive to losing communication with the route examining system. The warning signal directs the trailing vehicle system to automatically change movement of the trailing vehicle system responsive to the detection of damage to the route and/or the off-board failsafe controller losing communication with the route examining system.

An adaptively adjusted and accurate parking control method for an ATO system includes performing statistical learning on the basis of historical stop information, and adaptively inferring a parking point offset. Moreover, two application preconditions of the method are provided: firstly, speed tracking performance is good in an electric braking stage, and secondly, a pneumatic braking process has random and statistical stationary characteristics. The method improves the average stop accuracy in a statistical sense, satisfies a high-accuracy stop requirement of the entire train formation, and can also evaluate train performances and track circumstances timely and duly, thereby satisfying complex and variable real-time operation task requirements.

A locomotive propelled by a hybrid power system includes a boost mode of operation accessible on-demand by the operator. When a throttle is set to deliver maximum power from a diesel-electric engine, an operator can select actuators separate from the throttle to request that a control module deliver additional electrical power from batteries. The actuators may be soft keys or a touchscreen on a computer monitor or mechanical switches as part of the locomotive cab. The actuators provide boost notches of additional power beyond the typical eight notches on the throttle at least for transient conditions, and existing locomotives may be easily and inexpensively retrofitted with the actuators.

A method and an apparatus for a train control system are disclosed, and are based on virtualization of train control logic and the use of cloud computing resources. A train control system is configured into two main parts. The first part includes physical elements of the train control system, and the second part includes a virtual train control system that provides the computing resources for the required train control application platforms. The disclosed architecture can be used with various train control technologies, including communications based train control, cab-signaling and fixed block, wayside signal technology. Further, the disclosure describes methodologies to convert cab-signaling and manual operations into distance to go operation.