A system for analyzing a railroad track comprises a transport device, a camera coupled to the transport device, an electronic display device, a memory device, and one or more processors. The camera is disposed adjacent to a rail of the railroad track and generates image data reproducible as one or more images of at least a portion of a surface of the rail. The processors can produce an image of the rail surface, which includes a plurality of elongated portions. The image is analyzed to identify any defects that exist within each elongated portion of the rail surface. The processors determine a value of a metric for each elongated portion of the rail surface. The metric is associated with the identified defects. The electronic display device displays a graph indicative of the metric for each elongated portion, the image of the rail surface, or both.

A system for modeling risk of rail buckling in railroad infrastructure is presented. The system can receive a myriad of data related to railroad tracks and/or railroad operations, and weight the data using specially-designed weighting factors that can be unique to each data type. The weighted data can be transformed via specialized algorithms to generate location scores reflective of a risk isolated to a particular area. The system can further utilize additional specialized algorithms to elucidate how such isolated risk can be extrapolated from one location to another. The system can implement a multilayer approach, formulating one or more layers of risk models and aggregating such models into an overarching risk model that can more-accurately forecast risk of rail buckling in a railroad track.

A monitoring device includes a progress execution unit that causes a combination of an irradiation unit and a light reception unit to progress inside a space that is tubular inside, the irradiation unit being for irradiating, with laser light, an exposed object that is an object exposed in the space of a tubular object being an object having the space, the light reception unit converting return light of the laser light from the exposed object into an electric signal; and a section specification unit that specifies, based on the electric signal, a predetermined-state section position being a position of a predetermined-state section that is, among sections of the exposed object that are irradiated with the laser light, the section indicating a predetermined state, and outputs the resultant.

A monitoring device includes a progress execution unit that causes a combination of an irradiation unit and a light reception unit to progress inside a space that is tubular inside, the irradiation unit being for irradiating, with laser light, an exposed object that is an object exposed in the space of a tubular object being an object having the space, the light reception unit converting return light of the laser light from the exposed object into an electric signal; and a section specification unit that specifies, based on the electric signal, a predetermined-state section position being a position of a predetermined-state section that is, among sections of the exposed object that are irradiated with the laser light, the section indicating a predetermined state, and outputs the resultant.

The Automated Wayside Asset Monitoring system utilizes a camera-based optical imaging device and an image database to provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance of environmental geographical information pertaining to railway transportation. Various components of the Automated Wayside Asset Monitoring system can provide features and functions that can facilitate the operation and improve the safety of transportation via a railway vehicle.

The Automated Wayside Asset Monitoring system utilizes a camera-based optical imaging device and an image database to provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance of environmental geographical information pertaining to railway transportation. Various components of the Automated Wayside Asset Monitoring system can provide features and functions that can facilitate the operation and improve the safety of transportation via a railway vehicle.

The present invention provides a method for determining an element characteristic of at least one railroad element, comprising the steps of: providing a motion sensor (2) on the at least one railroad element (6); collecting motion data provided by the motion sensor (2), wherein the motion data is representing a motion characteristic of the railroad element (6) different from the element characteristic; determining the element characteristic on the basis of the motion data.

An optical system including one or more optical sensors and a processing unit capable of performing built-in tests of the optical sensor(s) and methods thereof are disclosed. The processing unit includes a built-in test module configured to detect a reduction of an optical quality of at least some of the images generated by at least one of the optical sensors with respect to an expected optical quality thereof. The built-in test module may be configured to determine whether the reduction of the optical quality thereof is due to the “external optical disturbances” (EOD) and/or failure of the optical sensor(s)/system. The processing unit may include a relative built-in test module configured to compare at least some images generated by at least two of the optical sensor(s) and to determine which of the at least two optical sensors thereof, if any, is subjected to at least one of the EOD and/or failure.

A railroad infrastructure communication network is presented. The network can include a plurality of infrastructure nodes distributed proximate a railroad track, such as near railroad equipment and/or assets. Infrastructure nodes can be configured to receive data from equipment sensor and/or assets and transmit such data via the network. Infrastructure nodes can further generate alert and/or alert packets based on such received data. Infrastructure nodes can self-define in a network infrastructure depending on configured connection types, and can for example, serve as repeater nodes (to promulgate a transmission to additional infrastructure nodes) and/or collector nodes (to collect data for a centralized server node). A server node can be configured to receive data and/or packet from infrastructure nodes and generate requests for additional systems, personnel, etc. to address such requests. The network can limit the data transmission size and leverage distributed processing capabilities to enable transmissions over long ranges, such as by reducing the bandwidth required to transmit packets.

A railroad infrastructure communication network is presented. The network can include a plurality of infrastructure nodes distributed proximate a railroad track, such as near railroad equipment and/or assets. Infrastructure nodes can be configured to receive data from equipment sensor and/or assets and transmit such data via the network. Infrastructure nodes can further generate alert and/or alert packets based on such received data. Infrastructure nodes can self-define in a network infrastructure depending on configured connection types, and can for example, serve as repeater nodes (to promulgate a transmission to additional infrastructure nodes) and/or collector nodes (to collect data for a centralized server node). A server node can be configured to receive data and/or packet from infrastructure nodes and generate requests for additional systems, personnel, etc. to address such requests. The network can limit the data transmission size and leverage distributed processing capabilities to enable transmissions over long ranges, such as by reducing the bandwidth required to transmit packets.