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.

The invention relates to a portable device for measuring vertical rail measurements under service to record and report excessive vertical rail movement to prevent a train from derailing. The device may be pivoting with a tilt sensor and light-weight. The device may include a microprocessor, sensors, and a display. The device may be installed on the rail. The device may sense an approaching train, automatically turn on the device, and measure the real-time vertical displacement and the maximum/minimum vertical movement of the rail while the train is operating over the rail at all speeds.

A method for detecting whether a point rail is attached to a stock rail is disclosed. The method is performed by using a first pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor. Each of the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor is configured to detect whether the point rail is attached to the corresponding one of the pair of stock rails, convert a pressure signal between the point rail and the stock rails into a voltage signal, and transmit the voltage signal to a signal processor. The signal processor is configured to process and transmit the processed voltage signal to a monitoring center having a host computer. The host computer is configured to control an operation of a switch in response to the detected pressure value collected by the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor by using a PID control algorithm.

A system and method for monitoring a track and/or rail employs one or more distance measuring imagers mounted to a railcar and directed to image the track and/or rails wherein the images are geo-tagged with location data. Geo-tagged distance measurements are processed to determine at least track gauge and/or at least rail fastener integrity. The system and method may also determine other track and/or rail integrity issues including, e.g., rail profile, rail alignment, center point dip, cross level, rail cant, wheel wear, wheel integrity, rail wear, rail defects, and/or rail temperature. The system and method may also determine when inspection and/or maintenance of the track is indicated, and provide selected records of where and/or when such inspection and/or maintenance is indicated.

At least one fiber-optic sensor unit measures a mechanical variable which affects a rail having a certain length and a neutral axis that extends along said length of the rail. The at least one fiber-optic sensor unit is disposed at an angle of 30 to 60, in particular 45, relative to the neutral axis or at an angle of 30 to 60, in particular 45, relative to the neutral axis. The at least one fiber-optic sensor unit is irradiated with primary light in order to generate a signaling light in a reflection mode or transmission mode. The intensity of the signaling light is sensed. The signaling light is evaluated.

The invention relates to a method for determining correction values for correcting a position of a track, with an actual geometry of a track section being recorded by means of an inertial measurement device arranged on a track inspection vehicle while the track is being travelled on, and with measuring data the recorded track section being output by the inertial measurement device to an evaluation device. In this case, a virtual inertial measurement of the same track section with a target geometry is calculated by means of a simulation device in order to obtain simulated measuring data for the target geometry, with correction values correcting the position of the track being determined by subtracting the simulated measuring data from the measuring data of the inertial measurement device by means of a computing unit. With the method according to the invention, correction values are determined directly on the basis of the measuring data of the inertial measurement device.

A route examination system determines a characteristic of a vehicle system traveling over a segment of a route under inspection, a characteristic of the route, and/or a characteristic of movement of the vehicle system over the segment of the route. The system also detects acoustic sounds generated by movement of the vehicle system over the segment of the route. The system selects a baseline signature representative of acoustic sounds generated by movement of the vehicle system or another vehicle system over a healthy segment of the route, and determines that the segment of the route under inspection is damaged based on a comparison between the baseline signature and the acoustic sounds generated by the movement of the vehicle system over the segment of the route under inspection.

A system and method for detecting buckled rail and for predicting a risk for rail buckling is disclosed. The method may comprise receiving data from a camera mounted on locomotive traveling on the railroad track. The data may include images of the buckled rail and dimensions of the buckled rail when the camera detects the buckled rail. The data may further include images of the ballast and condition of the ballast. The method may further comprise receiving data from a thermal camera mounted to the locomotive indicating the temperature of the rails. The method may further comprise transmitting an alarm signal to a display interface of a remote unit if the dimensions of the buckled rail meet a predetermined threshold, and predicting a risk for rail buckling based at least on the temperature of the rails and the condition of the ballast.

A system and method for monitoring a track and/or rail employs one or more imagers mounted to a railcar and directed to image the track and/or rails wherein the images are geo-tagged with location data. Geo-tagged images are processed to determine at least track gauge and/or at least rail fastener integrity. The system and method may also determine other track and/or rail integrity issues including, e.g., rail fastener integrity, rail profile, rail alignment, center point dip, cross level, rail cant, wheel wear, wheel integrity, rail wear, rail defects, and/or rail temperature. The system and method may also determine when inspection and/or maintenance of the track is indicated, and provide selected records of where and/or when such inspection and/or maintenance is indicated.

In one embodiment, a method includes identifying, by an image detection tool, a tank within an image of a railway environment and identifying, by the image detection tool, a railroad track within the image of the railway environment. The method also includes determining, by the image detection tool, a distance between the tank and the railroad track and comparing, by the image detection tool, the distance between the tank and the railroad track to a predetermined threshold distance. The method further includes determining, by the image detection tool, that the tank presents a hazard to the railway environment in response to comparing the distance between the tank and the railroad track to the predetermined threshold distance.