A maintenance apparatus (10) transmits a pulse signal from a predetermined observation point (P) of rails (R), observes an observation signal that appears at the observation point (P) after transmission of the pulse signal, compares an observation history of the observation signals and the observation signal received this time, and detects occurrence of abnormality in any one of the rails (R) and at least one electric apparatus (20) connected to the rails (R).

Systems, devices, media, and methods are presented for controlling remote equipment in a network. A switch heater control system includes a weather modeling function. The system periodically obtains weather data according to a predetermined time interval. Based on the closest weather data set, the weather modeling function generates a hyperlocal forecast associated with each switch heater location. The system includes an active snowfall mode and a maintenance mode that controls heating based on an estimate of local snow depth, adjusted for wind conditions and passing trains. When the hyperlocal forecast indicates heating is required, the system calculates a melt duration, starts a timer, and transmits a start signal to the switch heater.

The present invention relates to a test shunt clamp device for testing railroad tracks by creating either a hard-wired effect or an impedance. The device has at least two clamps that can be attached to a rail track of a railroad track. Once attached, a toggle switch can be placed in the “HW” or “0.06” position such that the switchable choice between hard-wire and a resistor (that the first and second wires are connected to) delivers a hard-wired effect or a 0.06 ohm impedance to each rail track via a first pointed member of the first clamp attached to the first wire and a second pointed member of the second clamp attached to the second wire.

A system for determining alignment of a signal includes a light assembly comprising a light source operated by an electronic circuit, a first position sensor configured to measure a geographical direction of the light assembly, a second position sensor configured to measure a tilt angle of the light assembly, and a light communication device configured to receive measurements of the first position sensor and the second position sensor, and wherein the light communication device is configured to evaluate the measurements and determine alignment of the light assembly based on predefined tolerance thresholds for the geographical direction and tilt angle.

A relay assembly comprises a vital relay used in a vital circuit and configured to be rack-installed in an equipment room in a railroad case or a railroad housing for providing a modular solid-state current-limiting. The relay assembly further comprises a plurality of vital relay contacts to which a current flow is restricted by a single supply solid-state current limiter. The relay assembly further comprises a relay socket base assembly coupled to the vital relay. The relay socket base assembly includes a relay socket base including a plurality of vital relay contact prongs, a plug assembly including a plurality of printed circuit board (PCB) mounted contact terminals, and a plurality of contact terminals that provide a connection between the plurality of vital relay contact prongs and the plurality of printed circuit board (PCB) mounted contact terminals. The relay assembly further comprises an ancillary electrical control module.

A railway termination shunt enclosure including one or more receptacles, each of the one or more receptacles being configured to receive a termination shunt. The enclosure also includes at least one mounting surface and a connector assembly rotatably attaching the one or more receptacles to one or more of the at least one mounting surface.

A computer implemented method is for determining railway vehicle movement profile type of a railway vehicle movement profile. The railway vehicle movement profile includes a sequence of measured transmitted currents of a transceiver of a track circuit with respect to the time. The method includes obtaining a railway vehicle movement profile, normalizing the railway vehicle movement profile, extracting one or more features from the normalized railway vehicle movement profile, determining the distance of the extracted features with respect to each centroid of a railway vehicle movement profile type determined in a classification process, and assigning the railway vehicle movement profile to the railway vehicle movement profile type with the closest centroid

A single rail shunt cable assembly is configured to repair a damaged railroad rail segment. The single rail shunt cable assembly has a shunt cable with a first shunt cable end and a second shunt cable end. A first cable clip is joined to the first shunt cable end. A second cable clip is joined to the first shunt cable end. An ohm meter is joined to the shunt cable proximate the first cable clip. The ohm meter that shows a circuit connection between the first clamp and the second clamp when the first clamp and the second clamp are attached to the damaged railroad rail segment.

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.

Systems, devices, media, and methods are presented for controlling remote equipment in a network. A switch heater control system includes a weather modeling function. The system periodically obtains weather data according to a predetermined time interval. Based on the closest weather data set, the weather modeling function generates a hyperlocal forecast associated with each switch heater location. The system includes an active snowfall mode and a maintenance mode that controls heating based on an estimate of local snow depth, adjusted for wind conditions and passing trains. When the hyperlocal forecast indicates heating is required, the system calculates a melt duration, starts a timer, and transmits a start signal to the switch heater.