A method of railroad track control includes partitioning a physical track block into a plurality of virtual track blocks, the physical track block defined by first and second insulated joints disposed at corresponding first and second ends of a length of railroad track. The presence of an electrical circuit discontinuity in one of the plurality of virtual track blocks; is detected and in response a corresponding virtual track block position code indicating the presence of the discontinuity in the one of the plurality of virtual track blocks is generated.

A method of railroad track control includes partitioning a physical track block into a plurality of virtual track blocks, the physical track block defined by first and second insulated joints disposed at corresponding first and second ends of a length of railroad track. The presence of an electrical circuit discontinuity in one of the plurality of virtual track blocks; is detected and in response a corresponding virtual track block position code indicating the presence of the discontinuity in the one of the plurality of virtual track blocks is generated.

A method of railroad track control includes partitioning a physical track block into a plurality of virtual track blocks, the physical track block defined by first and second insulated joints disposed at corresponding first and second ends of a length of railroad track. The presence of an electrical circuit discontinuity in one of the plurality of virtual track blocks; is detected and in response a corresponding virtual track block position code indicating the presence of the discontinuity in the one of the plurality of virtual track blocks is generated.

A method of railroad track control includes partitioning a physical track block into a plurality of virtual track blocks, the physical track block defined by first and second insulated joints disposed at corresponding first and second ends of a length of railroad track. The presence of an electrical circuit discontinuity in one of the plurality of virtual track blocks; is detected and in response a corresponding virtual track block position code indicating the presence of the discontinuity in the one of the plurality of virtual track blocks is generated.

A method of railroad track control includes partitioning a physical track block into a plurality of virtual track blocks, the physical track block defined by first and second insulated joints disposed at corresponding first and second ends of a length of railroad track. The presence of an electrical circuit discontinuity in one of the plurality of virtual track blocks; is detected and in response a corresponding virtual track block position code indicating the presence of the discontinuity in the one of the plurality of virtual track blocks is generated.

A train detection system for a railway track section placed on a track bed, the track section having two rails, the train detection system comprising at least one cable, the cable being placed across the two rails, a transmitter connected to the cable and configured to emit an emitted signal into the at least one cable, a receiver connected to the cable and configured to receive a received signal related to the emitted signal having passed through the cable, and capable of determining, according to the received signal, between an unoccupied state where no railway vehicle is present on the track section, and an occupied state where the track section is occupied by a railway vehicle. The cable is buried under the track bed.

A system (100) and method is provided that facilitates controlling signaling devices along railroad tracks in electrified territory. The system may include a first track circuit transmitter (116) connectable to a first end (160) of a first block (162) of a railroad track (180). A first processor (104) may be configured to determine a first signaling aspect (112) corresponding to a visible light signal outputted by a first signaling device (110) and cause the first track circuit transmitter to transmit a first code (166) corresponding to the first signaling aspect via a first AC carrier signal (164) through rails (182, 184) of the first block of the railroad track. The system may also include a first track circuit receiver (134) connectable to a second end (168) of the first block of the railroad track, which is configured to receive the first AC carrier signal through the rails of the first block of the railroad track and demodulate the first code from the first AC carrier signal. A second processor (124) may be configured to determine a second signaling aspect (132) based at least in part on the first code that was demodulated and cause a second signaling device (130) to output a visible signal corresponding to the second signaling aspect.

A method of railroad track control includes partitioning a physical track block into a plurality of virtual track blocks, the physical track block defined by first and second insulated joints disposed at corresponding first and second ends of a length of railroad track. The presence of an electrical circuit discontinuity in one of the plurality of virtual track blocks; is detected and in response a corresponding virtual track block position code indicating the presence of the discontinuity in the one of the plurality of virtual track blocks is generated.

A system and method for virtual block stick circuits is presented. The present disclosure implements specialized algorithms adapted to determine the true status of a virtual block based on multiple inputs from different perspectives. In one embodiment, the system can use the far house perspective of that virtual track segment and the PTC hazard for the near virtual track segment directly adjacent to the near house uses the near house perspective of that virtual track segment. For the middle virtual track segments, the near house perspectives of the middle virtual track segments are held TRUE if they are already TRUE when the train first enters the block, using stick circuits for the near house perspective of the middle track circuits. The vital application can then indicate the true state of the virtual track segment as occupied (FALSE), to protect the train from trains that follow.

A system and method for virtual block stick circuits is presented. The present disclosure implements specialized algorithms adapted to determine the true status of a virtual block based on multiple inputs from different perspectives. In one embodiment, the system can use the far house perspective of that virtual track segment and the PTC hazard for the near virtual track segment directly adjacent to the near house uses the near house perspective of that virtual track segment. For the middle virtual track segments, the near house perspectives of the middle virtual track segments are held TRUE if they are already TRUE when the train first enters the block, using stick circuits for the near house perspective of the middle track circuits. The vital application can then indicate the true state of the virtual track segment as occupied (FALSE), to protect the train from trains that follow.