A system and method for providing arrays of distributed recording devices supporting black box data retention on transports are disclosed. A particular embodiment includes: a main black box data retention device on a transport for recording transport data including operational and status data of the transport while in operation, the main black box data retention device including a wireless data transmission device; and an array of distributed wireless recording devices on the transport and in wireless data communication with the main black box data retention device, each distributed wireless recording device of the array including: a power supply; a wireless data receiver; a non-volatile memory device; and a control unit to receive the transport data from the main black box data retention device via the wireless data receiver and to store the transport data into the non-volatile memory device.

A method includes maintaining a representation of a spatial region, maintaining a plurality of trajectory records, each trajectory record comprising a sequence of time points and corresponding spatial coordinates, maintaining, for each trajectory record of the plurality of trajectory records, sensor data, the sensor data being synchronized to the sequence of time points and corresponding spatial coordinates, presenting a portion of the representation of the spatial region including presenting a representation of multiple trajectory records of the plurality of trajectory records, each trajectory record of the multiple trajectory records having at least some spatial coordinates located in the portion of the spatial region.

A vehicle control system may determine a required tractive effort and/or a required braking effort to propel a vehicle system at a determined speed. The vehicle control system may determine a throttle setting or a brake setting to provide the required tractive effort and/or the required braking effort and communicate a control signal from a remote controller device to an onboard controller device. The vehicle control system may operate a propulsion system at the throttle setting and/or a brake system at the brake setting to move the vehicle system at the determined speed.

A system that can automatically measure, track, and/or report train emissions for complying with geographic environmental restrictions. An emissions module determines the amount of emissions emitted by a train over time. A location module tracks the location of the locomotive of the train relative geographic locations having emission regulations. A compliance module records the amount of emissions emitted by the train in the geographic location.

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 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.

This disclosure relates to a system configured to detect rail vehicle events. Some or all of the system may be installed in a rail vehicle and/or be otherwise coupled with the rail vehicle. In some implementations, the system may detect rail vehicle events based on pre-determined rail vehicle event criteria sets. The system may include one or more sensors configured to generate output signals conveying information related to the rail vehicle. In some implementations, the system may detect rail vehicle events based on a comparison of the information conveyed by the output signals from the sensors and/or parameters determined based on the output signals to the pre-determined rail vehicle event criteria sets.

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.

An electrical detection device carried by a rail vehicle traveling on a railway track to detect faults in at least one rail, including a contact support suitable for being mechanically linked to the rail vehicle, at least one reference contact and corresponding measuring contact applied to a rail, and carried by the support, a processing circuit to which each reference contact and measuring contact are connected, suitable for measuring the impedance between the corresponding reference and measuring contacts, means for positioning the contact support facing the surface of the rail in a measurement direction corresponding to the axis of the rail, such that each first reference contact and each corresponding measuring contact relate to the same rail, and at least two measuring contacts transversely offset relative to the measurement direction, wherein the processing circuit includes means for measuring the impedance between at least one reference contact and each measuring contact.

A method for determining the position of a track-guided vehicle, in particular a rail vehicle, includes readjusting a distance measuring device on the vehicle for obtaining position-determining distance measurement values based on position marker information available at position markers on the track, wherein the position marker information is captured by a position marker information recorder connected to the distance measuring device. In order to be able to carry out an exact determination of the position of a track-guided vehicle in a comparatively simple way, the position marker information of the same position marker is detected again by a further position marker information recorder being offset relative to the first position marker information recorder in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and a generation of further position-determining distance measurement values is initiated. A positioning device for determining the position of a track-guided vehicle is also provided.