A system including a supply valve disposed between a chamber and a pressure source, a discharge valve disposed between the chamber and an external atmosphere, a first control unit, and a second control unit. The first control unit coupled with the supply valve by a first switch and with the discharge valve by a second switch. The first control unit outputting signals to the first and second switches to control the supply and discharge valves. The second control unit coupled with the discharge valve by a third switch and a fourth switch, the second control unit outputting signals to the third and fourth switches to control the supply and discharge valves. The first control unit may include a first microcontroller to control the signals of the first control unit using an artificial intelligence (AI) neural network having artificial neurons arranged in layers and connected with each other by connections.

A system and method for detecting the operational status of a brake system on a railcar. The system receives from a sensor an indication of the magnitude of a braking force applied by the braking system in response to an instruction to increase or decrease the braking force. It compares the response to possible responses of the braking system in view of the instruction provided. Based on the comparison, the system generates at least one of a message and/or an alert indicating the status of the brake system. Additional sensors, including a pressure sensor on a brake pipe of the railcar, can be added for additional functionality.

A vehicle control system includes at least one sensor and a power supply control system. The sensor is on board a vehicle system and configured to generate vehicle data relating to a condition or parameter associated with the vehicle system. The power supply control system is configured to control one or more power supplies on board the vehicle system and to receive the vehicle data from the at least one sensor. The power supply control system is also configured to compare the vehicle data to one or more criteria relating to vehicle movement, and, in response to a determination that the vehicle data meets the criteria and receipt of a signal indicative of the vehicle system carrying (or being configured to carry) cargo of a predetermined material, generate a control signal to deactivate at least one of the power supplies.

A method includes applying a brake system of a multi-vehicle system using an onboard controller device and receiving grade input at the onboard controller device from a remote controller device. The grade input indicates a grade of a surface on which the multi-vehicle system is disposed. The method further includes starting movement responsive to receiving a speed command signal at the onboard controller device from the remote controller device. The movement started by initiating release of the brake system and/or generating tractive effort from a propulsion system of the multi-vehicle system stretches the multi-vehicle system. The method further includes, responsive to the movement reaching a designated speed, switching to a closed loop control process of controlling the movement based on one or more of the speed command signal or a brake command signal received at the onboard controller device from the remote controller device.

A method and a control device determine a position-related braking ability of a vehicle. A first vehicle determines at least one piece of position-related information of a route section, the at least one piece of position-related information of the route section being information relating to the braking ability on the route section. The first vehicle transmits the at least one piece of position-related information to a receiver, the receiver being at least one second vehicle, whereby the braking curves of at least one rail vehicle are adapted according to the situation, thus allowing safety on the route section and the utilization of the section to be improved.

An emergency halt method for a vehicle driving at least partially in automated fashion. The method includes receiving an emergency halt signal; providing a blocking signal, a first control unit being blocked, and the control over controlling driving maneuvers of the vehicle being withdrawn from the first control unit; and providing a not-drive signal for starting an emergency halt maneuver of the vehicle.

A braking method includes: obtaining a first state information of the vehicle, which includes a vehicle mass and a deceleration required by braking; calculating a braking torque according to the first state information, and controlling the vehicle to output an electric braking torque according to the braking torque; obtaining a current vehicle speed and a mechanical braking application delay time; calculating an electric braking exit speed according to the braking torque required by the vehicle and the deceleration required by braking; calculating a mechanical braking application speed according to the mechanical braking application delay time, the deceleration required by braking, and the electric braking exit speed; and determining whether to control the vehicle to unload the electric braking torque, and whether to control the vehicle to apply a mechanical braking torque according to the current vehicle speed, the electric braking exit speed, and the mechanical braking application speed.

A control system is provided that may include a controller for a vehicle system. The controller may include one or more processors configured to obtain at least one first operating parameter related to an operating system of the vehicle system, and determine an operating condition of the operating system based at least in part on the first operating parameter. The one or more processors may also be configured to communicate with an off-board sensor to obtain at least one auxiliary operating parameter related to the operating condition, and verify the operating condition based at least in part on the auxiliary operating parameter.

A wedge driver and method therefor is presented. A wedge driver can be operably coupled to different ends of a link joiner to drive a wedge therebetween to form a single link. The wedge driver can also drive the wedge out of the link joiner. The present disclosure provides the benefit of allowing the safe and effective removal of the link joiner by preventing violent or forceful decoupling of a link joiner. The wedge driver can include a trunk, a first prong, a second prong, a bolt, and a driver. The driver can be spring enabled, such that the driver can recede into the trunk as the bolt egresses the trunk. A bolt of the wedge driver can push a driver out of the trunk to axially drive the wedge into (or out of) a link joiner without rotating the wedge.

A monitoring device of the open or closed state of an electric line is disclosed. The device includes a first connection terminal and a second terminal connected to the electric line, a current generator that provides a non-zero reference current when there is a voltage greater than a predetermined minimum voltage Vmin at its ends and provides a zero current when there is a voltage less than the predetermined minimum voltage Vmin at its ends, at least one opto-isolator means including a lighting device and a respective photosensitive semi-conductor element, and a current detection and power supply module that detects current flowing therein, supplies a supply current to the lighting device when the detected current is equal to or greater than the reference current, and supplies a zero supply current to the lighting device when the detected current is less than the reference current.