A system includes control modules, a low-voltage communications bus, e.g., a CAN bus of a vehicle, a voltage sensor that measures a bus voltage and outputs 2.5-3.5 VDC high-data and 1.5-2.5 VDC low-data, and a host electronic control unit (ECU). The host ECU detects a recoverable fault using a data pattern in the bus voltage data when the data is outside of a calibrated range, and recalibrates the sensor. Recalibration may be by adjustment to a scaling factor and/or a bias value. Non-recoverable stuck-at-fault-type or out-of-range-type faults may be detected using the pattern, as may be a ground offset fault. A method includes measuring the bus voltage using the sensor, comparing the output data to a range to detect the fault, and isolating a sensor fault as a recoverable fault using the data pattern when the data is outside of the range. The sensor is then be recalibrated.

The invention provides computing devices and systems for railroad control and automation in railyards and on rail lines. A computing device has a housing having a front, a back, a top, a bottom, an exposed side, and an unexposed side, as well as an interior. The interior of the housing is adapted to support a communications bus, a processor board with a digital signal processor having memory thereon coupled to the communications bus. The memory stores a unique device identification. Additionally in the interior is an input/output board coupled to the communications bus, and a user-interface board coupled to the communications bus. The front has a user-viewable screen adapted to display a plurality of alphanumeric characters, and a user-interactive input device adapted to allow a user to scroll through alphanumeric data displayed on the screen. The top has a bank of output connectors comprising a first output connector adapted to send a control signal to a first railroad device, a first microphone, and a bank of power input connectors. The bottom has a bank of input connectors comprising a first input connector adapted to accept a signal from the first railroad device, and a wire-line data communications receptacle, while the back is adapted to couple to a DIN-Rail.

The invention concerns a control and monitoring device for a switch machine of a railway switch comprising: a power supply for providing a switch motor of the switch machine with a current, the switch motor being adapted to move points of the railway switch, a relay having a primary contact connected electrically to the power supply via at least one line and a secondary contact adapted to be electrically connected to the switch motor; the relay being adapted to switch on and off the power provided to the switch motor; at least one current sensor adapted to sense the current to be provided to the switch motor at the at least one line between the power supply and the relay; at least one voltage sensor adapted to sense a voltage to be provided to the switch motor at the at least one line between the power supply and the relay; a monitoring module connected to the at least one current sensor and the at least one voltage sensor, wherein the monitoring module is adapted to record the measured current and voltage values.

An energy supply device for a switch machine is configured to be fed a direct voltage and to provide an alternating voltage suitable for the switch machine. Accordingly, in order to be able to produce a railway switch more economically, the energy supply device is configured to control the switch machine.

A switching machine comprises a frame, a point detector bar, an indication contact assembly, at least one detector bar follower able to act on the indication contact assembly depending on the position of the point detector bar relatively to the frame, an inhibiting element jointly movable with the detector bar follower, and a cam bar translatable relatively to the frame between an unlock position and a lock position. The cam bar comprises a tongue portion which is able to be in contact with a stop of the inhibiting element when the cam bar is in its unlock position and to be away from the stop when the cam bar is in its lock position. The inhibiting element comprises a main body relatively to which the stop is vertically translatable between an active position and a passive position.

A switch for a point machine, point machine having said switch, and a method for operating said point machine. The switch opening and closing a circuit providing current to the motor of the point machine. The switch having an elastic element, such as a spring, to create snap-action to open and close the circuit. Operation of the motor compressing the spring to open the circuit and cut-off power to the motor when the point machine has completed movement of a point.

A remotely activated rail switch system is disclosed herein that is configured to permit the remote control of a railroad switch. The rail switch system may include at least a connecting clamp configured to removably attach to any standard size rail switch throw arm, a motor, an interconnect member between the connecting clamp and the motor, and a transceiver. In various embodiments, the remotely activated rail switch system may be installed without making any modifications to the existing rail infrastructure. For example, the rail switch system may be installed without any welding, digging, and/or other civil construction. Rather, the remotely activated rail switch system may be installed by simply (or only) clamping a frame or body of remotely activated rail switch system to wooden ties adjacent a rail switch and attaching the connecting clamp of the remotely activated rail switch to the throw handle of the switch.

A contact system employs a swing link (1) to drive set of movable contacts (5) to engage with a left or right set of contacts (24, 25) respectively on two sides thereof, so as to achieve indication of a separate or closure position. Particularly, a drive shaft (2) along with an operating plate (3) and a snap plate (4) on the drive shaft (2) are driven by the swing link (1) to change a motion trajectory of a roller (10) on a movable contact shaft (12), aided by action of a snap-action claw (11) and a tension spring (9), thereby achieving, quick action of set of movable contacts (5), and realizing a contact with or disconnection from set of fixed contacts (6) to achieve indication of the separation or in closure position. The system has a simple structure and a small size, responds quickly and accurately, and is cheap to manufacture, install, and maintain.

A railway switching machine includes a housing, a first point detector bar slidably coupled to the housing and structured to be directly coupled to a first switch point, and a second point detector bar slidably coupled to the housing and structured to be directly coupled to a second switch point.

A railroad switching apparatus utilizing a tie which is positioned under rails and points used in switching railroad cars. A support is interposed the tie and the rails and points and includes a passageway to guide the first and second indicator bars which are attached to the points. A slider is also employed at the attachment point of the indicator bars to the points to accommodate the thermal expansion and contraction of the rails and points. The indicator bars are formed into a coaxial unit in order to allow simple observation of the relative movement between the first and second indicator bars to determine proper movement of the points relative to the rails.