The present invention relates to a smart vest for use by railyard personnel at a railyard. The smart vest utilizes many safety features, such as improved visibility, a real-time camera, an environmental monitor, high-accuracy location tracking, tracking the state of the railyard crew member, real-time communication, and mobile power. Each of these features may be incorporated with the smart vest.

The present invention relates to a smart vest for use by railyard personnel at a railyard. The smart vest utilizes many safety features, such as improved visibility, a real-time camera, an environmental monitor, high-accuracy location tracking, tracking the state of the railyard crew member, real-time communication, and mobile power. Each of these features may be incorporated with the smart vest.

A system includes a safety mode activation device disposed onboard a vehicle system and operatively connected to a controller of the vehicle system. The safety mode activation device is configured to receive a status signal indicating a presence of one or more of an operator or an active work marker in a location proximate to the vehicle system. The safety mode activation device is further configured to transmit a lockout signal to the controller to prevent movement of the vehicle system along a route responsive to receiving the status signal.

A system includes a safety mode activation device disposed onboard a vehicle system and operatively connected to a controller of the vehicle system. The safety mode activation device is configured to receive a status signal indicating a presence of one or more of an operator or an active work marker in a location proximate to the vehicle system. The safety mode activation device is further configured to transmit a lockout signal to the controller to prevent movement of the vehicle system along a route responsive to receiving the status signal.

A rail network is divided by track elements into track sections on which vehicles can travel. The vehicles request, from selected track elements, steps for assignment as a route element. Each of the selected track elements is respectively automatically assigned as a route element, under predefined conditions, for each vehicle which requests the steps for assignment as a route element to it, and outputs an assignment confirmation to the respective vehicle. For better protection of construction and/or maintenance work in the hazardous area of the rail network at least one of the track elements forms, after its integration into the rail network, a working zone and does not output the assignment confirmation for the respective vehicle until after an assignment release is input. The track element is provided with a release device into which the assignment release is input manually.

A rail network is divided by track elements into track sections on which vehicles can travel. The vehicles request, from selected track elements, steps for assignment as a route element. Each of the selected track elements is respectively automatically assigned as a route element, under predefined conditions, for each vehicle which requests the steps for assignment as a route element to it, and outputs an assignment confirmation to the respective vehicle. For better protection of construction and/or maintenance work in the hazardous area of the rail network at least one of the track elements forms, after its integration into the rail network, a working zone and does not output the assignment confirmation for the respective vehicle until after an assignment release is input. The track element is provided with a release device into which the assignment release is input manually.

In a particular implementation, a vehicle detector configured to detect a train entering a work zone includes a detector portion including one or more motion detectors. The one or more motion detectors are configured to detect a vehicle entering a work zone. The vehicle detector also includes a vertical member coupled to the detector portion. The vehicle detector further includes a stabilizing structure including one or more components configured to stabilize the vertical member. The one or more components define a circumference around the vertical member.

A system includes a safety mode activation device disposed onboard a vehicle system and operatively connected to a controller of the vehicle system. The safety mode activation device is configured to receive a status signal indicating a presence of one or more of an operator or an active work marker in a location proximate to the vehicle system. The safety mode activation device is further configured to transmit a lockout signal to the controller to prevent movement of the vehicle system along a route responsive to receiving the status signal.

A system includes a safety mode activation device disposed onboard a vehicle system and operatively connected to a controller of the vehicle system. The safety mode activation device is configured to receive a status signal indicating a presence of one or more of an operator or an active work marker in a location proximate to the vehicle system. The safety mode activation device is further configured to transmit a lockout signal to the controller to prevent movement of the vehicle system along a route responsive to receiving the status signal.

A control unit for controlling a rolling stock includes a user interface. The control unit is configured to receive, via the user interface, a plurality of user inputs corresponding to a plurality of users servicing the rolling stock, determine whether at least one user of the plurality of users remains servicing the rolling stock, and if at least one user of the one or more users remains servicing the rolling stock, prevent unauthorized movement of the rolling stock. Other example control units, computer systems including one or more control units, and computer-implemented methods for preventing unauthorized movement of a rolling stock are also disclosed.