A permanent magnet retarder comprises a housing and a cylinder. The cylinder (2) is inserted into the housing (1) and can move up and down relative to the housing (1). The housing (1) is further provided with a conductor (3) and a permanent magnet (4) therein which are disposed oppositely and constitute a permanent magnet eddy current deceleration assembly. The conductor (3) is fixedly disposed on an inner wall of the housing (1) and the permanent magnet (4) is fixedly disposed on the cylinder (2); alternatively, the conductor (3) is fixedly disposed on the cylinder (2) and the permanent magnet (4) is fixedly disposed on the inner wall of the housing (1). The housing (1) is further provided with an upper return permanent magnet (5) and a lower return permanent magnet (6) therein disposed oppositely.

A permanent magnet retarder comprises a housing and a cylinder. The cylinder (2) is inserted into the housing (1) and can move up and down relative to the housing (1). The housing (1) is further provided with a conductor (3) and a permanent magnet (4) therein which are disposed oppositely and constitute a permanent magnet eddy current deceleration assembly. The conductor (3) is fixedly disposed on an inner wall of the housing (1) and the permanent magnet (4) is fixedly disposed on the cylinder (2); alternatively, the conductor (3) is fixedly disposed on the cylinder (2) and the permanent magnet (4) is fixedly disposed on the inner wall of the housing (1). The housing (1) is further provided with an upper return permanent magnet (5) and a lower return permanent magnet (6) therein disposed oppositely.

An exemplary method includes electronically determining that movement of a rolling stock should be prevented based on a failure condition of the rolling stock. And if it is electronically determined that movement of the rolling stock should be prevented based on the failure condition of the rolling stock, the method further includes preventing movement of the rolling stock including preventing the rolling stock from initiating a movement from a stationary position along a track within a work area defined around the rolling stock by: preventing brakes of the rolling stock from being released via one or more pneumatic components; and/or preventing the rolling stock from receiving or accepting a movement command.

Methods and systems for automatically tuning control parameters for operations of a classification yard. In embodiments, production predictions for car events at a segment is made using current tuning coefficients. Analysis on real-world measurements associated with the car events is used to obtain a set of candidate tuning coefficients. Backoffice predictions for the car events are made using the candidate tuning coefficients. The production predictions and the backoffice predictions are compared against the real-world measurements. If the backoffice predictions are found to better approximate the real-world measurements at the segment or device, the candidate tuning coefficients are accepted and the current tuning coefficients for the segment or device are replaced by the candidate tuning coefficients. In this manner, the present disclosure provides a system with functionality that allows the system to automatically adjust the tuning coefficients to real-world conditions.

Methods and systems for determining a status of switch devices in a classification yard. In particular embodiments, a set of switch event data associated with a switch may be analyzed to determine the performance of the switch during operations of each switch event. A status of the switch may be determined from the analysis of the performance of the switch during operations of each switch event. In embodiments, the analysis may include thresholding analysis that may be configured to determine a relationship (e.g., a deviation relationship) between real-world measurements during the switch events and expected measurements during the switch events for each switch event associated with the switch. In embodiments, the status of the switch may be used to ensure corrective action is taken on the switch (e.g., deploy maintenance personnel, report the status of the switch, send a control signal to the switch to deactivate, etc.).

Methods and systems for managing operations of a classification yard. In embodiments a release speed, coupling speed, and/or a predicted speed at one or more points of a route along which a cut is being routed is determined. A set of event messages of events that occurred during the traveling of the cut is generated. Real-world measurements associated with an actual speed of the cut at the one or more points of the route are obtained. Coefficients associated with the predicted speed of the cut at the one or more points are autotuned based on the real-world measurements, a status of one or more devices used to route the cut is determined based, at least in part, on thresholding analysis applied to the real-world measurements, and the set of event messages is stored in an event log for subsequent replaying in a graphical user interface (GUI).

Systems and techniques for detecting applied railcar brakes within a railroad classification yard using thermal imaging. A thermal imaging system, including at least one thermal imaging sensor, captures a plurality of thermal images of railcar wheels. The thermal imaging system determines if a temperature within a user-defined bounding box on the thermal sensor's field of view exceeds a predetermined temperature threshold for a specified amount of time. Alternatively, a neural network may be used to detect the excessive temperature. In response, the thermal imaging system sends a system message, and a computer processor receives the system message and, if it meets reporting criteria, identifies the particular railcar and generates and transmits an alert message indicating a potential issue with the wheels of the railcar.