Presented are a transportation system apparatus and method of operation. An exemplary transportation system includes an elevated track and a vehicle coupled with and operable to traverse the elevated track. Additionally, the transportation system includes a first elevated track loop wherein the vehicle is operable at a first speed, a second elevated track loop operable to receive the vehicle merging from the first elevated track loop, wherein the vehicle is operable at a second speed, and an elevated track section operable to receive the vehicle merging from the second elevated track loop, wherein the vehicle is operable at a third speed.

A system for exclusive track resource sharing is provided. Some embodiments provide an exclusive track resource sharing system including onboard control units and a resource manager. Onboard control unit is provided in each of trains and is configured to communicate with another onboard control unit in another train. The resource manager is configured to record ownership status information of track resources of the plurality of trains, to provide the ownership status information of the track resources to the onboard control unit, and to generate and deliver a resource entitlement or resource authority to the onboard control unit. The resource authority is configured to be owned by a single onboard control unit. The onboard control unit possessing the resource authority is configured to seize or release the track resources corresponding to the resource authority and to control the track resources corresponding to the resource authority.

An ad hoc communication network includes at least one vehicle-side radio device connected to a vehicle, a plurality of track-side radio devices installed on a track of the vehicle, and a monitoring and control unit, which is connected to at least one track-side radio device for communication. The track-side radio devices communicate, without logical connection with other track-side radio devices located within the radio range and with the vehicle-side radio device and forward received data to other track-side radio devices located within the radio range. At least two other track-side radio devices are located in each direction along the track within the radio range of each track-side radio device. The track-side radio devices transfer received data to the closest and to the second closest track-side radio device in at least one direction along the track.

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.

A system and a method for monitoring route devices in a transportation network includes one or more processors to receive sensed traffic control device information from first vehicle systems in a transportation network formed from interconnected routes. The sensed traffic control device information indicates states of traffic control devised at intersections between the routes in the transportation network. The one or more processors determine whether the sensed traffic control device information conflicts with stored traffic control device information stored in a database accessible by the one or more processors. The one or more processors send one or more bulletins to one or more second vehicle systems to change movement of the one or more second vehicle systems responsive to determining that the sensed traffic control device information conflicts with the stored traffic control device information.

Obstacle detection enhancement data are transmitted from a server to at least one moving conveyance embedding an obstacle detection system and an on-board wireless radio unit communicating with the server via wireless link. To do so, downlink transmission resources are allocated to each on-board wireless radio unit in a transmission cycle C.sub.n, by optimizing the difference between a distance travelled by the moving conveyance during a transmission cycle and a distance covered by the obstacle detection enhancement data made available to the obstacle detection system at a next transmission cycle C.sub.n+1, wherein the volume of obstacle detection enhancement data expected to be transmitted during the transmission cycle C.sub.n is determined from volume-to-distance ratio information b.sub.k stored in a database and from actual quality of the wireless link.

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 system and method for simulating positive train control (PTC) systems in a local and controlled environment using software and hardware. The system can simulate various functionalities of the PTC system in the environment using software and hardware components. The system can instruct the software of a train management computer (TMC) to control electromechanical valves to simulate air compression on brake pipes in response to the PTC system executing a penalty on the locomotive. The system can display statuses of various systems on the locomotive to a user using a cab display unit (CDU). The system can control the software and hardware components to simulate warnings and actions from the PTC system allowing locomotive engineers and conductors to experience the PTC system for optimum training.

A system and method for simulating positive train control (PTC) systems in a local and controlled environment using software and hardware. The system can simulate various functionalities of the PTC system in the environment using software and hardware components. The system can instruct the software of a train management computer (TMC) to control electromechanical valves to simulate air compression on brake pipes in response to the PTC system executing a penalty on the locomotive. The system can display statuses of various systems on the locomotive to a user using a cab display unit (CDU). The system can control the software and hardware components to simulate warnings and actions from the PTC system allowing locomotive engineers and conductors to experience the PTC system for optimum training.

An urban rail transportation fusion signaling system and method. The fusion signaling system includes: an autonomous train supervision system, configured to send a train operation plan; a first wayside management system, operating under a Train Autonomous Circumambulate System (TACS) system and configured to generate line resource allocation information according to the train operation plan; a second wayside management system, operating under a Commnunications-Based Train Control (CBTC) system and configured to generate operation permission information according to the train operation plan; and a car controller, provided on a rail transportation train and configured to: perform traffic control according to the line resource allocation information when the train is traveling under the TACS system; or perform traffic control according the operation permission information when the train is traveling under the CBTC system.