An apparatus and method for protecting a communication device of a railroad car is provided. The apparatus includes an antenna portion configured to include main antennas and an auxiliary antenna, a main receiver configured to check a magnitude of a received signal transferred through the main antennas of the antenna portion, an auxiliary receiver configured to check a magnitude of a received signal transferred through the auxiliary antenna of the antenna portion, and a controller configured to compare the magnitude of the signal received by the main receiver and the magnitude of the signal received by the auxiliary receiver, determine whether there is a jamming signal according to a comparison result, and take a preset countermeasure when it is determined that there is a jamming signal.

Examples relate to digital context aware (DCA) data collection. In some examples, a DCA start location component is positioned at a first location along a travel route, and a DCA end location component is positioned at a second location along the travel route. In response to using a wireless interface to detect the DCA start location component, data collection of measurements by a sensor are initiated. In response to using the wireless interface to detect the DCA end location component, the data collection by the sensor is halted.

This communication device for rail vehicle is of the type comprising a wireless communication stage to communicate with a control beacon on at least one communication spectrum band of a spectral range sub-divided into several predetermined channels.

A locomotive-to-wayside device communication system for a train having a locomotive travelling in a track network having wayside devices associated therewith. The system includes: an on-board communication device associated with the locomotive for transmitting and receiving data; and a wayside communication device associated with a wayside device, wherein the wayside communication device is programmed or configured to transmit data at or over (a) at least one power level, (b) at least one reporting interval, (c) at least one frequency, (d) at least one communication protocol, or any combination thereof. A wayside communication device and a locomotive-to-wayside device communication method are also disclosed.

A positive train control system and method comprises a plurality of RFID devices embedded in a track way and having data representing location stored therein, and an RFID reader/detector mounted on a train for reading the location data from the embedded RFID devices. The location data is processed on the train and/or at a central facility for determining whether the train location and/or time is consistent with a train routing order. Messages, alerts and/or warnings may be generated for an alert device and/or for automated response, e.g., via a train control system.

A trackside railway apparatus includes at least one sensor device which is configured to detect at least one use of at least one trackside component of a railway installation. A storage device stores at least one item of use information dating or tracing back to the detection of the use. A transmission device is configured to wirelessly transmit the usage information to at least one receiving device entering a transmission range in a manner which is temporally decoupled from the storage. The apparatus is configured to detect the at least one receiving device entering the transmission range. A device for determining use of at least one trackside component of a railway system and a method for detecting use of at least one trackside component of a railway installation are also provided.

A system includes a safety mode activation device disposed onboard a vehicle system and operatively connected to a controller of the vehicle system. The safety mode activation device is configured to receive a status signal indicating a presence of one or more of an operator or an active work marker in a location proximate to the vehicle system. The safety mode activation device is further configured to transmit a lockout signal to the controller to prevent movement of the vehicle system along a route responsive to receiving the status signal.

Methods and systems that utilize radio frequency identification (RFID) tags mounted at trackside points of interest (POI) together with an RFID tag reader mounted on an end of train (EOT) car. The RFID tag reader and the RFID tags work together to provide information that can be used in a number of ways including, but not limited to, determining train integrity, determining a geographical location of the EOT car, and determine that the EOT car has cleared the trackside POI along the track.

A positioning guidance system and method based on guide rails, comprising: a host computer; a guide rail band; a plurality of beacons arranged along the guide rail band; and a receiver array fixedly mounted on a target to be positioned and guided, wherein: the host computer is connected to the guide rail band and the beacons; the beacons are connected to the receiver array; the host computer transmits movement requirements and a list and sequence of beacons to be passed to the receiver array through the beacons; the guide rail band transmits a positioning guidance signal to the receiver array; and the receiver array determines a relative position of the target to be positioned and guided by taking the guide rail band as reference, according to a projection of the guide rail band on the receiver array.

A railroad communication system includes a radio transmitter for generating radio communications signals and a length of railroad rail coupled to the radio transmitter. The length of rail is disposed on a set of nonconductive railroad ties to form a transmission line for radiating the radio communications signals to a radio receiver in a vicinity of the length of railroad rail.