An on-board thermal track misalignment detection system method therefor is presented. The system can use on-board locomotive sensors attached to an end-of-train device to detect (on the edge), signs and symptoms of thermal misalignments of the track. Once detected an alert can be transmitted to prevent potential derailments. The system can also include a forward-facing and rearward-facing imaging sensors (e.g., camera, LiDAR sensor, etc). The system can wirelessly communicate (e.g., via radio) with a leading locomotive to ensure proper air pressure and location. The system can be powered by an on-board battery and/or air pressure device. Advantageously, the system can calculate whether any rail deviation is significant (e.g., via one or more threshold values). The system can also leverage image processing functionality, executed by one or more processors) to find the centerline and the distance between the tracks.

In one embodiment, a method includes capturing, by a machine vision device, an image of an object in a railway environment. The machine vision device is attached to a first train car that is moving in a first direction along a first railroad track of the railway environment. The method also includes analyzing, by the machine vision device, the image of the object using one or more machine vision algorithms to determine a value associated with the object. The method further includes determining, by the machine vision device, that the value associated with the object indicates a potential deficiency of the object and communicating, by the machine vision device, an alert to a component external to the first train car. The alert comprises an indication of the potential deficiency of the object.

A Railroad Tie Management System is disclosed that can provide an efficient and organized method of inspecting and auditing ties in a rail system. Tie mark files can be retrieved by a client from a server or database in operable communication with the client, and upon instantiation of an inspection process governed by the system, an inspection information table and tie grid can be generated. The tie grid can operable to receive commands from a user, and the inspection information table is operable to automatically increment and decrement fields contained within in response to changes within the tie grid. The tie grid can also be configured to incorporate data from tie scans and serve the data to the client in a useful and user-friendly manner.

A method includes obtaining one or more images of a segment of a route from a camera while a vehicle is moving along the route. The segment of the route includes one or more guide lanes. The method also includes comparing, with one or more computer processors, the one or more images of the segment of the route with a benchmark visual profile of the route based at least in part on an overlay of the one or more images onto the benchmark visual profile or an overlay of the benchmark visual profile onto the one or more images. The one or more processors identify a misaligned segment of the route based on one or more differences between the one or more images and the benchmark visual profile and respond to the identification of the misaligned segment of the route by modifying an operating parameter of the vehicle.

A deployable vehicle for an instrumented rail system includes a first locomotion module having a first mobility assembly configured to engage a first rail, a second locomotion module having a second mobility assembly configured to engage a second rail, an adjustable frame extendable between the first and second locomotion modules by a distance corresponding to the distance between the first and second rails, and a sensor module removably attachable to the frame. The sensor module includes a sensor suite having a plurality of sensors for gathering data while the vehicle is deployed. The sensor module includes a communications module having a first radio configured to enable the vehicle to establish at least a first communication link with a remotely located mobile base station, and a second radio configured to establish a second communication link with the remotely located mobile base station.

A method validates an obstacle identification system. In order to be able to demonstrate that obstacles are identified by an obstacle identification system at least as reliably as by a driver, it is provided that, in order to form driving scenarios, stochastic combinations of prespecified distributions of submodules are provided. The provided combinations are subjected first, for carrying out a simulation study, to simulation by a simulator and second to automatic processing by an obstacle identification algorithm of the obstacle identification system, and a result of a simulation study, which is carried out by the simulator, and a result of the automatic processing are automatically tested for agreement.

A monitoring method and system monitor a transmitted current that is injected into conductive components of a route traveled by vehicle systems, monitor a received current that represents a portion of the transmitted current that is conducted through the conductive components of the route, examine changes in the transmitted and/or received current over time to determine when the vehicle systems are on the route between a first location where the transmitted current is injected into the conductive components and a second location where the received current is monitored, and examine the changes in the transmitted and/or received currents. The changes are examined to identify (a) a contaminated portion of a surface on which the route is disposed, (b) a foreign object other than the vehicle systems that is contacting the route, and/or (c) a damaged or broken portion of at least one of the conductive components of the route.

The invention relates to a measuring arrangement for monitoring a railway track having rails fastened to sleepers, wherein a fibre optic cable is connected to a measuring device in order to detect a strain acting on a rail. In this, the fibre optic cable is clamped in a detachable manner into at least one rail fastening. In this way, a strain transmitted from the rail via the rail fastening to the sleeper acts directly on the fibre optic cable.

An adjustment device for a track conditioning unit has a measuring unit for determining a lateral offset of a rail, travelled on by a rail vehicle, relative to an effective range of a track conditioning unit or a measuring unit for determining the relative position of a bogie with respect to the rail car body. The adjustment device contains a determining unit for determining an actuation command for an actuation unit in accordance with the determined lateral offset between the effective range of the track conditioning unit and the rail. Part of the adjustment device for the track conditioning unit is also an actuation unit for actuating an actuator unit of the track-conditioning unit with an adjustment command which is generated on the basis of the actuation command. The actuator unit adjusts an effective range of the track conditioning unit on the basis of the adjustment command.

An aerial system control network, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system, and a method provide for inspecting railroad assets using a UAV. The aerial system control network includes a plurality of towers and a ground control system connected to the plurality of towers. The ground control system transmits, via a plurality of communication towers, a flight plan including a rail system and a flight path; receives, via the plurality of communication towers, data while the UAV is in monitoring the rail system; detects an interference along the flight path based on the received data, and adjusts the flight plan based on the interference.