A vehicle control system includes a controller that communicates between a first vehicle and a second vehicle and/or a monitoring device in a vehicle system. The controller determines a communication loss and, responsive to determining the communication loss, switches to communicating via a different communication path. The controller also determines an operational restriction on movement of the vehicle system based on the communication loss that is determined, obtains a transitional plan that designates operational settings of the vehicle system at one or more different locations along a route being traveled by the vehicle system, different distances along the route being traveled by the vehicle system, and/or different times. The controller 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.

A communication system includes a data manager unit, a private interface, and an open interface. The data manager unit is configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle and to manage a transmission of data from a control system of the vehicle to a plurality of applications. The private interface is configured to communicably couple the data manager unit to the control system of the vehicle, and to limit communication with the control system via a connection protocol, wherein the connection protocol is configured to prevent direct communication between the data manager unit and an application that does not use the connection protocol. The open interface is configured to communicably couple the data manager unit and the plurality of applications.

A communication system includes a data manager unit, a private interface, and an open interface. The data manager unit is configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle and to manage a transmission of data from a control system of the vehicle to a plurality of applications. The private interface is configured to communicably couple the data manager unit to the control system of the vehicle, and to limit communication with the control system via a connection protocol, wherein the connection protocol is configured to prevent direct communication between the data manager unit and an application that does not use the connection protocol. The open interface is configured to communicably couple the data manager unit and the plurality of applications.

A system and method provide seamless control switchover through an input coupled to a power line and a safety apparatus that actuates if the input remains de-energized for a first time interval. Each of a plurality of subsystems has a control unit that controls a power source to energize the power line and is capable of transitioning between master and slave states. A first switch or second and third switches in series couple the power source to the power line. The first switch is closed during master state operation. The second switch is closed during slave operation and the third switch is open if any subsystem control unit is in master state. The system is configured to open or close the first switch, the second switch, or the third switch responsive to a transition of a control unit to or from master state within the first time interval.

A communication system includes a data manager unit, a private interface, and an open interface. The data manager unit is configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle and to manage a transmission of data from a control system of the vehicle to a plurality of applications. The private interface is configured to communicably couple the data manager unit to the control system of the vehicle, and to limit communication with the control system via a connection protocol, wherein the connection protocol is configured to prevent direct communication between the data manager unit and an application that does not use the connection protocol. The open interface is configured to communicably couple the data manager unit and the plurality of applications.

An onboard system includes two control parts. Each of the two control parts has the function of performing a first process for controlling the travel of the transport vehicle. In a period during which a first control part being one control part out of the two control parts is performing the first process, a second control part being other control part out of the two control parts does not perform the first process. In the period during which the first control part is performing the first process, the second control part performs a maintenance process for performing maintenance of the transport vehicle.

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.

A method and a system for controlling transmission of data between a rail-bound vehicle and a land-based device. A communication characteristic of a mobile communication gateway of a plurality of mobile communication gateways of the rail-bound vehicle is identified, where the mobile communication gateway includes at least one communication channel via which data are transmitted to the land-based device and/or are received by the land-based device. Furthermore, the land-based device selects, on the basis of the identified communication characteristic of the communication gateway, at least one communication gateway of the plurality of communication gateways for an upcoming data transmission.

An apparatus for supporting development of a program used in a control device of a train monitoring and controlling apparatus including a plurality of intra-train networks, the control device transmitting/receiving signals to/from the plurality of intra-train networks, the control device including a plurality of communication substrates for communicating with one of the plurality of intra-train networks and the control substrate connected to the plurality of communication substrates, the program development supporting apparatus receives a communication-substrate network communication data definition file used in each of the plurality of communication substrates, generates a control-substrate input/output signal variable definition file by using the communication-substrate network communication data definition file, and outputs the control-substrate input/output signal variable definition file. The control-substrate input/output signal variable definition file is used in the control substrate, the control substrate performing communication in a communication data format that is common among the plurality of communication substrates.

A parking verification system and method, a movement verification system and method, and a monitoring system and method for a train, or other transit vehicle.