B61L15/0072

System for remotely overriding locomotive controls

A control system is disclosed for use with a locomotive. The control system may have a component located onboard the locomotive, the component having a first state and a second state. The control system may also have an operator input device located onboard the locomotive and used to manually toggle operation of the component between the first and second states, and at least one sensor located onboard the locomotive and configured to generate a signal associated with a condition of the locomotive. The control system may also have an offboard controller located remotely from the locomotive and being configured to selectively override the operator input device and toggle operation of the component between the first and second states based on the signal.

Railcar Sensor Communication System

According to some embodiments, a railcar monitoring system for monitoring one or more conditions associated with a railcar comprises a railcar controller and one or more sensors disposed throughout the railcar and communicably coupled to the railcar controller. The railcar controller is configured to exchange data with the one or more sensors and transmit data from the one or more sensors to a remote location. An amount of data exchanged between the railcar controller and the one or more sensors is controlled based on a railcar context. The railcar context is based on a location and/or activity associated with the railcar.

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VEHICLE CONTROL BASED ON DETECTED WHEEL CONDITION
20170313329 · 2017-11-02 ·

A system is provided that includes a detection circuit having a first and second sensor. The first sensor is configured to measure a rotational speed of a first wheel. The second sensor is coupled to a vehicle chassis and configured to measure a position over time of the vehicle chassis. The system further includes a controller circuit configured to determine a shock frequency based on the position of the vehicle chassis. The controller circuit is further configured to determine a condition (e.g., an anomalous condition) of the first wheel based on the shock frequency and the rotational speed, and may be further configured for vehicle control based on the determined condition.

AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE SYSTEM AND METHOD
20170313332 · 2017-11-02 ·

A system includes a mobile platform that moves under remote and/or autonomous control, a sensor package supported by the mobile platform that obtains information relating to a component of a transportation network, and one or more processors that receive the sensor information and analyze the information in combination with other information that is not obtained from the sensor package. The processors also generate an output that displays information relating to one or more of a status, a condition, and/or a state of health of the component of the transportation network; initiates an action to change an operational state of the component; identifies a hazard to one or more vehicles traveling within the transportation network; and/or collects the information relating to the component. Optionally, the component is not communicatively coupled to an information network and the mobile platform provides the information obtained by the sensor package to the information network.

POSITION DETECTION SYSTEM, VEHICLE, AND POSITION DETECTION METHOD
20220055670 · 2022-02-24 ·

This position detection system is provided with: a distance measuring sensor that is attached to a vehicle traveling along a track and is capable of measuring a distance over a predetermined range in the track width direction; an edge position detecting unit that detects an edge position in the track width direction of the track on the basis of distance measurement data from the distance measuring sensor; and a distance calculation unit that calculates a distance in the track width direction between a reference position of the track that is specified from the edge position and a reference position of the vehicle to which the distance measuring sensor is attached.

LOCOMOTIVE HEALTH-BASED TRAIN PACING SYSTEM
20170305446 · 2017-10-26 · ·

A system for pacing a train having a plurality of locomotives is disclosed. The system may include an signaling system onboard component configured to receive a signal indicative of a requested time of arrival (RTA) of the train, a locomotive health system configured to output one or more health signals indicative of a health status of each of the plurality of locomotives, and an energy management system in electronic communication with the signaling system onboard component and the locomotive health system. The energy management system may be configured to generate driving command signals based on the RTA and the one or more health signals, generate an RTA confirmation signal based on the one or more health signals, the RTA confirmation signal being indicative of whether the train will achieve the RTA, and communicate the RTA confirmation signal to a train signaling system via the signaling system onboard component.

Train Brake Control System And Method
20170305449 · 2017-10-26 ·

A brake control system and method for a train having a lead locomotive or control car, at least one trailing locomotive or control car and, optionally, at least one railroad car. The lead locomotive or control car generates data representing an independent brake demand and data representing an automatic brake demand and transmits the data representing an independent brake demand and the data representing an automatic brake demand to the at least one trailing locomotive or control car. The at least one trailing locomotive or control car receives data representing an independent brake demand and data representing an automatic brake demand and controls a brake cylinder pressure of the at least one trailing locomotive or control car based on the data representing an independent brake demand and the data representing an automatic brake demand.

VEHICLE HANDLING SYSTEM AND METHOD
20170334461 · 2017-11-23 ·

A method and system include a vehicle system including a plurality of vehicles. The vehicle system is configured to travel along a route. A plurality of location determination devices are onboard the vehicle system. Each of the plurality of location determination devices is configured to output position data regarding a location of at least one of the plurality of vehicles. A handling unit is in communication with the plurality of location determination devices. The handling unit is configured to receive the position data from the plurality of location determination devices and control separation distances between the plurality of vehicles based on the position data.

CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A VEHICLE SYSTEM

A system and method generate a trip plan for a trip of a vehicle system along a route. The usage of an engine or fuel cell during the trip is determined based on engine operational parameters, energy storage device operational parameters, and one or more objectives of the trip desired to be achieved. The usage of the energy storage device during the trip is also determined based on the engine operational parameters, the energy storage device operational parameters, and the one or more objective, including when to charge or discharge the energy storage device during the trip.

EVENT RECORDER WITH CONFIGURABLE ALARM/EVENT MONITORING

A event recorder system carried on-board a locomotive may include a controller configured to receive data from one or more of a train management system, a cab signaling system, an energy management system, an exhaust aftertreatment monitoring system, a braking system, a communications management system, and an operator fatigue or distraction monitoring system. The data may include one or more of video data, audio data, sensor output data, GPS map data, scanned image data of an operator in a cab of the locomotive, and operational data associated with operation of the locomotive during a trip. The controller may be configured to synchronize the data based on a common attribute associated with all of the data received by the controller, receive from a user one or more customizable parameters predetermined to be indicative of one or more of a system-related characteristic or behavior associated with any one or more of the systems from which the controller receives data, and generate a system notification based on an indication of one or more of a system-related characteristic or behavior that one of falls outside of a predetermined range of system-determinable parameters, or indicates a trend in one or more system-determinable parameters that deviates from an expected trend in the one or more system-determinable parameters.