Transportation IP Holdings, LLC

Anthony D Paul

Milan Palinda Karunaratne

Nathan Thomas North

Ankit Mathur

Jared Klineman Cooper

James D Brooks

David Michael Peltz

Robert James Foy

Samuel William Golden

Gregory Wright

Jeremiah Dirnberger

William Carnegie

Daniel McNair

Thomas Lewis

Various methods and systems are provided for a railyard system. In one example, a method for managing a railyard comprises, within the railyard, positioning a cargo unit on a multi-directional pad and moving the pad multi-directionally based on a requested order for the cargo unit relative to other cargo units, where the requested order corresponds to an order of cargo units on railcars of an outbound train. The multi-directional pad may operate within an arena, where the arena includes a concrete surface depressed into the ground such that a surface of the pad is level with a surface of the ground surrounding the arena, thereby allowing railcars to be pushed onto the pad by a locomotive of a train.

Method and systems for an automated railyard

A control system is provided that may include a first sensor configured to detect a vehicle system. The control system may also include one or more processors in communication with the first sensor. The one or more processors may be configured to receive communication related to entry of the vehicle system into an area, and operate the first sensor to begin monitoring the vehicle system in response to entry of vehicle system into the area. The one or more processors may also be configured to record movement data related to the vehicle system, and determine movement of the vehicle system within the area based on the movement data.

Vehicle control system

A vehicle control system and method of operation includes directing a portable distribution vehicle to a first loading location. The portable distribution vehicle may be loaded with first cargo at the first loading location. Instructions may be communicated to the portable distribution vehicle to move from the first loading location to a first distribution location, where the first cargo may be unloaded. The portable distribution vehicle may be a first type of portable distribution vehicle that is allowed to move along a designated route. Vehicles of a second type are prohibited from moving along the designated route. Operation of the portable distribution vehicle may be automatically controlled to move from the first loading location to the first distribution location without an operator onboard the portable distribution vehicle manually controlling the portable distribution vehicle.

Vehicle control system and method

A vehicle according to a vehicle system and method includes a chassis, a coupler, and a platform on the chassis. The coupler is mounted to the chassis at a first end of the chassis and is configured to releasably connect the vehicle to a second vehicle. The platform is for supporting a cargo container and includes a base portion and a bridge member. The bridge member is located at an end of the platform and is extendable relative to the base portion from a retracted position to an extended position to lengthen the platform. The bridge member in the extended position projects beyond the first end of the chassis, above the coupler, towards the second vehicle for establishing a bridge to transload the cargo container from the platform to the second vehicle.

Vehicle system and method for cargo transloading

A control system including one or more processors that may determine vehicle locations of one or more vehicles and states of charge of vehicle energy storage devices onboard the one or more vehicles. The control system may include an energy chassis having a fuel source holding a supply of fuel, an energy converter to convert at least a portion of the supply of the fuel from the fuel source into electric energy, and a communication device to communicate with the processors. The processors may direct which of the one or more vehicles are to couple with and be powered by the electric energy of the energy chassis based on one or more of: the vehicle locations, the states of charge of the vehicle energy storage devices, an amount of the supply of the fuel of the energy chassis, and a chassis location of the energy chassis.

Control system and method for a transportation network

A vehicle system and method includes determining that a state of charge of an energy storage assembly of a receiving vehicle is insufficient to power the receiving vehicle to an upcoming location based on a difference between the state of charge and a needed amount of energy from the energy storage assembly to power the receiving vehicle to the upcoming location. The receiving vehicle may be controlled to move to an intermediate location that includes an increased traffic area or to a first donating vehicle location of plural different donating vehicle locations. The first donating vehicle location includes a predicted upcoming location of a first donating vehicle. The receiving vehicle receives energy from the first donating vehicle to charge the energy storage assembly of the receiving vehicle while both the first donating vehicle and the receiving vehicle area moving at the intermediate location.

Vehicle system and method

A control system is provided that may include a controller for a vehicle system. The controller may include one or more processors configured to obtain at least one first operating parameter related to an operating system of the vehicle system, and determine an operating condition of the operating system based at least in part on the first operating parameter. The one or more processors may also be configured to communicate with an off-board sensor to obtain at least one auxiliary operating parameter related to the operating condition, and verify the operating condition based at least in part on the auxiliary operating parameter.

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Anthony D Paul