A system and method for determining a track location and/or a direction of travel of a train includes at least one computer programmed or configured to determine at least one of a track on which the train is located and a direction of travel of the train on the track based at least partly on at least one location associated with at least one locomotive or control car of the train and at least one other location associated with at least one other locomotive or control car of the train. The at least one computer can be programmed or configured to determine a track on which the train is located based at least partly on the at least one location associated with the at least one locomotive or control car of the train and at least one additional location associated with at least one additional locomotive or control car of at least one additional train.

A vehicle control system includes a controller disposed onboard a first vehicle system and comprising one or more processors. The controller is operably connected to a propulsion and braking subsystem of the first vehicle system. The controller is configured to analyze a notification message received from an off-board source as the first vehicle system travels on a route. The notification message identifies an unplanned brake application made by a second vehicle system. In response to the notification message, the controller is configured to control the propulsion and braking subsystem to modify movement of the first vehicle system based at least in part on a location of the second vehicle system to avoid the second vehicle system.

A method and system for determining a separation distance between a first object and a second object comprises using a search module associated with a first object comprising a first transponder having a unique address. The method includes using a reply module associated with a second object comprising a second transponder having a different, unique address. The method includes the search module transmitting a search signal on a first frequency, said search signal including the address of the first transponder and the address of the second transponder. The reply module receives the search signal and locally validates the address included in said received search signal for the second transponder, whereby, if the validation is positive; the reply module transmits a reply signal on a second, different frequency.

A train system is provided that includes a train set including at least one railway car, at least one first set of two trackside points located along a path of the train set, at least one second set of two trackside points, at least one RFID tag located at each of the trackside points configured to store dynamic and static characteristics of the train set as it passes the at least one first set of two trackside points, at least one RFID tag located at each of the at least one first set of two trackside points and the at least one second set of two trackside points, the at least one RFID tag being configured to store characteristics of the train set as it passes the at least one second set of the at least two track points, and at least one RFID tag reader connected to a network.

A train system is provided that includes a train set including at least one railway car, at least one first set of two trackside points located along a path of the train set, at least one second set of two trackside points, at least one RFID tag located at each of the trackside points configured to store dynamic and static characteristics of the train set as it passes the at least one first set of two trackside points, at least one RFID tag located at each of the at least one first set of two trackside points and the at least one second set of two trackside points, the at least one RFID tag being configured to store characteristics of the train set as it passes the at least one second set of the at least two track points, and at least one RFID tag reader connected to a network.

System includes a controller configured to obtain one or more of a route parameter or a vehicle parameter from discrete examinations of one or more of a route or a vehicle system. The route parameter is indicative of a health of the route over which the vehicle system travels. The vehicle parameter is indicative of a health of the vehicle system. The discrete examinations of the one or more of the route or the vehicle system separated from each other by one or more of location or time. The controller is configured to examine the one or more of the route parameter or the vehicle parameter to determine whether the one or more of the route or the vehicle system is damaged. The system also includes examination equipment configured to continually monitor the one or more of the route or the vehicle system responsive to determining that the one or more of the route or the vehicle is damaged.

An inspection management system is provided. The inspection management system includes an inspection data provider that receives inspection data relating to an inspector, one or more devices used to complete an inspection, one or more assets associated with an inspection, an inspection plan, etc. A display of the inspection management system presents one or more graphical user interfaces based upon the inspection data. The graphical user interfaces may facilitate inspection planning, execution, preparation, and/or real-time inspection monitoring.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for monitoring vehicles traversing a dedicated roadway that includes an at-grade crossing. In some implementations, a system includes a central server, a gate system, and sensors. The gate system provides access to an at-grade crossing for vehicles. The sensors are positioned in a fixed location relative to a roadway, the roadway including the at-grade crossing. Each sensor can detect vehicles on the roadway. For each vehicle, each sensor can generate sensor data and observational data from the generated sensor data. Each sensor can determine a likelihood that the detected vehicle will approach the at-grade crossing by comparing the likelihood to a threshold. In response, each sensor can transmit data to the gate system that causes the gate system to allow the autonomous vehicle access to the at-grade crossing prior to the autonomous vehicle reaching the gate system.

The present invention provides an automatic train protection method, a vehicle on-board controller and a train based on vehicle-vehicle communication. The method includes: after a present train runs onto a main track, determining an OC with which the present train needs to establish communication; communicating, by the present train, with the OC to obtain train identifiers of all trains within the jurisdiction of the OC; respectively communicating, by the present train, with the train corresponding to each train identifier to obtain current running information of the train corresponding to each train identifier; identifying a front communication neighbor train of the present train; determining that no hidden train exists between the present train and the front communication neighbor train; and calculating current movement authority MA of the present train according to the current position information of the present train and of the front communication neighbor train.

A locomotive control system includes a mobile platform that moves under remote and/or autonomous control, a sensor package supported by the mobile platform that obtains information relating to a component of a railroad, and one or more processors that receive the sensor information and analyze the information in combination with other information that is not obtained from the sensor package. The processors also generate an output that displays information relating to one or more of a status, a condition, and/or a state of health of the component of the railroad; initiates an action to change an operational state of the component; identifies a hazard to one or more locomotives traveling within the railroad; and/or collects the information relating to the component. Optionally, the component is not communicatively coupled to an information network and the mobile platform provides the information obtained by the sensor package to the information network.