A system for navigating within a track network includes, as system components, a system central, a track maintenance machine and a communication device. The system central is set up for administering network data representing a model of the track network. The track maintenance machine is suited for treatment of track sections of the track network. The track maintenance machine includes a navigation device for processing navigation data derived from the network data. The communication device is provided for data exchange between the system central and the navigation device. The system includes at least one movable or stationary carrier platform with sensors for collecting raw data representing characteristic information of the track network. A big data framework is set up in the system central to evaluate the raw data and synchronize them with the network data. Automated updating of the network data can be carried out with the system.

A device adapted for attachment to a coupler of a trailing railcar of a train includes an enclosure defining an internal compartment, a port adapted for connection to an air brake hose receiving air from a brake pipe of the train, a handle extending from the enclosure, a communication device disposed within the internal compartment of the enclosure, and at least one antenna connected to the communication device and extending at least partially through the internal compartment of the enclosure and into an internal cavity of the handle.

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 communication system includes a communication management unit, an access point, and a plurality of traveling vehicles. The access point is connected to the communication management unit. Each vehicle includes a wireless communication unit. The communication system performs wireless polling communication between the communication management unit and the plurality of traveling vehicles via the access point at each predetermined polling cycle. In the communication system, a process including a wireless communication object addition step is performed to accept a new traveling vehicle as an object of wireless communication.

An end of train device (EOT) suitable of use on a railway vehicle includes a mounting unit for installation on a car of a railway vehicle, a position sensor configured to detect vertical alignment and orientation during the installation, and a feedback mechanism configured to provide feedback during the installation with respect to the vertical alignment and orientation. Further, a monitoring and communications system and a method for monitoring mounting integrity of an EOT are described.

A vehicle control system includes one or more processors configured to assign plural vehicles to different groups in one or more vehicle systems for travel along one or more routes. The one or more processors also are configured to determine trip plans for the different groups. The trip plans designate different operational settings of the vehicles in the different groups at different locations along one or more routes during movement of the one or more vehicle systems along the one or more routes. The one or more processors also are configured to modify one or more of the groups to which the vehicles are assigned or the operational settings for the vehicles in one or more of the vehicle systems based on a movement parameter of one or more of the vehicle systems. The trip plans for the different groups of the vehicles are interdependent upon each other.

System and computer-implemented methods and processes for data management of a plurality of target devices of a vehicle, the system including a portable computer device programmed for wireless connectivity to a network and data management activities and interaction with the target devices. The system and computer-implemented methods and processes are particularly useful in connection with trains having at least one locomotive, where the train includes multiple target devices, such as a train event recording system and the like.

The present invention provides a self-powered integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) interactive method of high-speed railway based on hierarchical deep reinforcement learning (HDRL), including: Constructing an integrated system framework for passive sensing and communication of high-speed train, where the passive sensor is mainly used for receiving train status information, and the access point (AP) is utilized for status information sensing of the train; During the remote communication between the AP and the base station (BS), Gaussian mixture model (GMM) clustering method is utilized for obtaining reference handover triggering points and completing the communication handover; Proposing an option-based HDRL algorithm to train the high-speed train agent so as to implement the dynamic autonomous switching process of information sensing and remote communication, thereby ensuring the minimum of task completion time and the timely charging for sensors. The present invention integrates passive sensing and remote communication.

A railroad communication system includes a radio transmitter for generating radio communications signals and a length of railroad rail coupled to the radio transmitter. The length of rail is disposed on a set of nonconductive railroad ties to form a transmission line for radiating the radio communications signals to a radio receiver in a vicinity of the length of railroad rail.

A method for establishing communication and for transmitting data between sensor units in a rail vehicle uses a communication network which has multiple network nodes. An advantageous communication network and/or an advantageous data transmission can be achieved if the sensor units independently form an ad hoc network with a network topology for transmitting data in the rail vehicle, configure the network, and change the network topology over the course of the data transmission and/or if the communication network is an ad hoc network and the network nodes are sensor units. A rail vehicle including a communication network which has multiple network nodes is also provided.