The present disclosure generally relates to work block encroachment warning systems for providing protection for rail workers working in a mobile or fixed work block. For example, a vehicle (V)-aware unit installed on a moving rail vehicle and a work block limit encroachment unit mounted on a railroad may wirelessly communicate with each other to determine a distance between them. When a vehicle is moving toward an occupied work block, the distance may be used to identify potential hazards.

A system for providing security to a railway system, the system comprising: a data monitoring and processing hub; a network comprising a plurality of data collection agents synchronized to a same network clock and configured to monitor railway infrastructure devices and onboard devices of rolling stock having a train communication network (TCN), train to wayside communications (such as GSM-R) and forward monitored data to the hub for processing by the hub to detect anomalies in railway operation that are indicative of a cyber-attack; wherein an agent of the plurality of data collection agents monitoring an onboard device connected to the TCN of a given rolling stock receives signals propagated to or from the device via the TCN and forwards to the hub data based on a given received signal together with a time stamp comprising a network clock time at which the given received signal is received by the agent.

Systems and methods are provided for worker protection. The worker protection systems comprise a plurality of alert devices, comprising one or more wearable personal alert devices, each worn by a person (e.g., worker), and one or more companion alert devices that broadcast alerts or signals triggering alerts. The companion alert devices comprise vehicle-mounted alert devices, configured for operation on vehicles (e.g., trains), and wayside detection units, configured for placement on or near paths of the vehicles. The wayside detection units may be operable to autonomously detect and track the vehicles.

A route examination system determines a characteristic of a vehicle system traveling over a segment of a route under inspection, a characteristic of the route, and/or a characteristic of movement of the vehicle system over the segment of the route. The system also detects acoustic sounds generated by movement of the vehicle system over the segment of the route. The system selects a baseline signature representative of acoustic sounds generated by movement of the vehicle system or another vehicle system over a healthy segment of the route, and determines that the segment of the route under inspection is damaged based on a comparison between the baseline signature and the acoustic sounds generated by the movement of the vehicle system over the segment of the route under inspection.

A method and system for determining a position of a rail-bound vehicle on a railway is disclosed. The apparatus comprises: a transmitter and receiver for wireless communication with at least one base station arranged at a predetermined position in the vicinity of the railway; a measurement device to determine a distance to said at least one base station based on measurements of the radio signals of said wireless communication in the time domain and/or phase domain; and a controller arranged to determine a present position of said vehicle on said railway based on said distance. A control system/method for controlling rail-bound vehicles in a railway system, and/or an internal or external system related to such rail-bound vehicles, using such position determination is also disclosed.

A system and method for detecting buckled rail and for predicting a risk for rail buckling is disclosed. The method may comprise receiving data from a camera mounted on locomotive traveling on the railroad track. The data may include images of the buckled rail and dimensions of the buckled rail when the camera detects the buckled rail. The data may further include images of the ballast and condition of the ballast. The method may further comprise receiving data from a thermal camera mounted to the locomotive indicating the temperature of the rails. The method may further comprise transmitting an alarm signal to a display interface of a remote unit if the dimensions of the buckled rail meet a predetermined threshold, and predicting a risk for rail buckling based at least on the temperature of the rails and the condition of the ballast.

A railroad system including a wayside inspector system responsive to data originated from a real-time train tracking system, such as GPS or PTC is provided. The data from the real-time train tracking system includes data indicative of a respective train en route to a respective crossing. The data is further indicative of a respective direction of travel on a respective railway track of the respective train en route to the respective crossing. Disclosed embodiments offer a technical solution involving no physical sensing devices on the railway tracks for detection of the respective train en route to the respective crossing. This solution is effective for automated testing and reporting of timely activation of crossing warning equipment based on the data originated from the real-time train tracking system.

Provided is a method of operating a modular train system. The method comprises determining that an approaching train is within a trigger distance from a first train segment. The train has a first velocity in a first direction along a track. The method further comprises causing the first train segment to accelerate to approximately the first velocity. The method further comprises coupling the train segment to a front end of the train while the first train segment and the train are in motion at approximately the first velocity.

Provided is a method of operating a modular train system. The method comprises determining that an approaching train is within a trigger distance from a first train segment. The train has a first velocity in a first direction along a track. The method further comprises causing the first train segment to accelerate to approximately the first velocity. The method further comprises coupling the train segment to a front end of the train while the first train segment and the train are in motion at approximately the first velocity.

A system and method for monitoring a track and/or rail employs one or more imagers mounted to a railcar and directed to image the track and/or rails wherein the images are geo-tagged with location data. Geo-tagged images are processed to determine at least track gauge and/or at least rail fastener integrity. The system and method may also determine other track and/or rail integrity issues including, e.g., rail fastener integrity, rail profile, rail alignment, center point dip, cross level, rail cant, wheel wear, wheel integrity, rail wear, rail defects, and/or rail temperature. The system and method may also determine when inspection and/or maintenance of the track is indicated, and provide selected records of where and/or when such inspection and/or maintenance is indicated.