A RFID tag unit is attached to a wheelset of a railcar and includes a RFID tag and an attaching member on which the RFID tag is mounted and which is attached to the wheelset. At least a portion of the attaching member which portion faces the RFID tag is made of a non-metal material. The attaching member is interposed between the RFID tag and the wheelset.

A profile detection method is provided. A Global Positioning System unit and a laser sensor are provided to be disposed adjacent an article wherein the Global Positioning System unit, the laser sensor, and the article are relatively movable. Outputs of the Global Positioning System unit and the laser sensor are sensed. The steps of sensing an article identification tag and developing an indication of article location based on sensing the article identification tag are performed. An indication device develops an indication of a profile of the article responsive to the sensed outputs of the Global Positioning System unit and the laser sensor.

When there is a train entering a building of a rail yard, a ground apparatus stores vehicle-formation-set IDs of respective vehicle-formation-sets of the train in the entering order by a FILO method. Additionally, when there is the train leaving the building, the vehicle-formation-set IDs are sequentially read by the FILO method, an inquiry addressed to the vehicle-formation-set IDs is transmitted in the order of the reading to obtain the train information from the on-board apparatus of each of the vehicle-formation-sets forming the train. When the on-board apparatus does not respond to the inquiry, and obtaining of the train information fails, the ground apparatus performs a predetermined alarm output control.

A robust system processor comprising three parallel processors, each configured to process in parallel an input and emit an output; and a reconciler that compares the three outputs, determines whether at least two of the outputs are equal, and if so validates the majority output and communicates the validated output via a network to at least one other system processor.

A train control system comprising a track switch controller; RFID tags located at first and second track switches coupled via a length of track that store characteristics of train sets as they pass the track switches, and RFID tag readers located on the train sets, connected to a network. The train sets write data to the RFID tags such that the data is read by RFID tag readers of subsequent trains; and the data stored in the RFID tags is overwritten with new data each time a train set passes by the RFID tags.

A robust system processor comprising three parallel processors, each configured to process in parallel an input and emit an output; and a reconciler that compares the three outputs, determines whether at least two of the outputs are equal, and if so validates the majority output and communicates the validated output via a network to at least one other system processor.

A train control system comprising a track switch controller; RFID tags located at first and second track switches coupled via a length of track that store characteristics of train sets as they pass the track switches, and RFID tag readers located on the train sets, connected to a network. The train sets write data to the RFID tags such that the data is read by RFID tag readers of subsequent trains; and the data stored in the RFID tags is overwritten with new data each time a train set passes by the RFID tags.

The present invention generally relates to a rail transport system having no internal drive, and in particular to an improved rail transport system for conveying bulk materials. The rail transport system includes horizontal and vertical drive stations that include a drive tire that rotates on a plane parallel to the track. In this arrangement, force is applied on a different plane than earlier systems, and the reaction force is separated out of the tensioning device. The improvements of the drive stations provide for a reduction of steel used in the system, improved manufacturability and, therefore, reduction in system component costs as compared to previous drive stations. Moreover, the drive stations allow for improved maintainability and access to the drive tires.

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 transportation system is provided. The system includes: a highway vehicle, a first set of highway points located along a path of the vehicle, a second set of highway points located along a traffic signal section, at least one RFID tag located at each of the first set and the second set of highway points, and at least one RFID tag reader located on the highway vehicle connected to a network. The at least one RFID tag located at the first set of highway points is configured to store dynamic and static characteristics of the highway vehicle as it passes the first set of highway points and the at least one RFID tag located at the second set of highway points is configured to store dynamic and static characteristics of the vehicle as it passes the second set of highway points.