A switch device for moving switch rails. The switch device includes a motor operatively coupled to move the switch rails into and between first and second positions. The motor is configured for electricity to flow therethrough along a first path and a second path. A first path relay has two normally open contacts each within the first path, where activating the first path relay closes the two normally open contacts thereof. A second path relay has two normally open contacts each within the second path, where activating the second path relay closes the two normally open contacts thereof. The motor moves the switch rails towards the first position when the first path relay is activated and the second path relay is deactivated, and the motor moves the switch rails towards the second position when the second path relay is activated and the first path relay is deactivated.

Method for detecting rail switches degradation and failures, the method having the steps of applying a Discrete Wavelet Transform to stored measurement data relative to a switch move to be analysed and obtaining a feature vector associated with said switch move and including Discrete Wavelet Transform coefficients delivered by the applied Discrete Wavelet Transform; comparing the obtained feature vector with feature vectors associated with rail switch moves previously obtained and associating each to a respective health class among several given health classes; and determining a health class for the said switch move to be analyzed by selecting one of the health classes associated with the previously obtained feature vectors based upon the comparison step.

A switch locking system and method of an authorized locomotive for safely traversing a switch in a railway including sending a lock command from a computer onboard the authorized locomotive to a switch controller associated with the switch; determining if a lock confirmation from the switch controller is received by the computer onboard the authorized locomotive; and safely traversing the switch upon receipt of the lock confirmation. The switch locking system and method may include sending an unlock command from a computer onboard the authorized locomotive to a switch controller after the train clears the switch.

A railroad switch circuit controller assembly includes a switch frame configured to be mounted to a stock rail, and a switch controller held by the switch frame. The switch controller includes at least one switching mechanism. The switch controller includes a point detection rod operatively connected to the at least one switching mechanism. The point detection rod extends a length from a proximate end portion to a distal end portion. The proximate end portion of the point detection rod is located closer to the stock rail as compared to the distal end portion when the switch frame is mounted to the stock rail. The railroad switch circuit controller assembly also includes a switch foot configured to be mounted to a switch rail, and an external rod operatively connected between the switch foot and the point detection rod of the switch controller such that the external rod is configured to translate linear movement of the switch foot toward and away from the stock rail to the point detection rod. The external rod is connected to the proximate end portion of the point detection rod.

A method for detecting whether a point rail is attached to a stock rail is disclosed. The method is performed by using a first pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor. Each of the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor is configured to detect whether the point rail is attached to the corresponding one of the pair of stock rails, convert a pressure signal between the point rail and the stock rails into a voltage signal, and transmit the voltage signal to a signal processor. The signal processor is configured to process and transmit the processed voltage signal to a monitoring center having a host computer. The host computer is configured to control an operation of a switch in response to the detected pressure value collected by the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor by using a PID control algorithm.

A railroad equipment state determination apparatus includes: a storage that stores a plurality of operation data associated with a prescribed operation performed by railroad equipment that is driven by a motor from a stopped state to perform the prescribed operation and then comes into the stopped state again; an evaluation criteria setting section that sets evaluation criteria based on the plurality of operation data stored in the storage; and a determination section that determines whether new operation data resulting from the prescribed operation newly performed by the railroad equipment is abnormal based on the evaluation criteria.

An anomaly determination device includes a changeover force measurement unit that measures a changeover force output by a driving device, the driving device outputting a changeover force for switching a direction of a branch rail whose direction is variable, a voltage measurement unit that measures a voltage supplied to the driving device, a current measurement unit that measures a current flowing through the driving device, and an anomaly determination unit that determines whether or not there is an anomaly in the branch rail, there is an anomaly in the driving device, and there is an anomaly in power supplied to the driving device on the basis of the magnitude of the changeover force, the magnitude of the voltage, and the magnitude of the current.

A railroad switch circuit controller assembly includes a switch frame configured to be mounted to a stock rail, and a switch controller held by the switch frame. The switch controller includes at least one switching mechanism. The switch controller includes a point detection rod operatively connected to the at least one switching mechanism. The point detection rod extends a length from a proximate end portion to a distal end portion. The proximate end portion of the point detection rod is located closer to the stock rail as compared to the distal end portion when the switch frame is mounted to the stock rail. The railroad switch circuit controller assembly also includes a switch foot configured to be mounted to a switch rail, and an external rod operatively connected between the switch foot and the point detection rod of the switch controller such that the external rod is configured to translate linear movement of the switch foot toward and away from the stock rail to the point detection rod. The external rod is connected to the proximate end portion of the point detection rod.

A switch locking system and method of an authorized locomotive for safely traversing a switch in a railway including sending a lock command from a computer onboard the authorized locomotive to a switch controller associated with the switch; determining if a lock confirmation from the switch controller is received by the computer onboard the authorized locomotive; and safely traversing the switch upon receipt of the lock confirmation. The switch locking system and method may include sending an unlock command from a computer onboard the authorized locomotive to a switch controller after the train clears the switch.

Provided is a hydraulic railroad switch machine that incorporates a lock-spring assembly, a point-detection and display system, a connector rod assembly, and a hydraulic system to overcome disadvantages associated with throw-out linkages.