Transportation IP Holdings, LLC

Alstom Transport Technologies

Ge Global Sourcing LLC

Chris Schuchmann

Derek Kevin Woo

Timothy Warren Brown

Robert Peipert

Jeffrey Michael Fries

Brian E Kurz

Brian Lee Staton

Richard Lawson

Alexander Sotelo

Nicholas Nagrodsky

William David Shields

John Ross

James Frisbie

Shawn T Clark

A system and method obtain first image data of a route at a location of interest from a first optical sensor disposed onboard a vehicle system moving along the route. The first image data depicts the route at the location of interest prior to passage of the vehicle system over the route at the location of interest. Second image data of the route at the location of interest is obtained from a second optical sensor disposed onboard the vehicle system. The second image data depicts the route at the location of interest after passage of the vehicle system over the route at the location of interest. A determination is made as to whether a change in the route has occurred at the location of interest by comparing the first image data with the second image data.

Route inspection system

A system for controlling one or more vital wayside devices of a railway network, comprising one or more vital switches, each vital switch being comprised in or operatively connected to an associated device of the one or more vital wayside devices, and a controller which is configured to control the one or more vital wayside devices. The controller is connected to each of the one or more vital switches by means of at least one optical fiber cable and is configured to output one or more light command signals over the at least one optical fiber cable, and each vital switch is configured to switch from an open status to a closed status to provide power and ground to the associated vital wayside device upon receiving at least one corresponding light command signal outputted by the controller for commanding an action of the associated vital wayside device.

System for controlling vital wayside devices of a railway network, and vital switch for such vital devices

A method is for determining a status of a track section of a railroad. Each end of the track section is connected to a respective detector. One of the two detectors transmits a current along the rails of the track section towards the other detector and receives a current transmitted along the rails of the track section from the other detector. The track section is further equipped with a computer in communication with the two detectors. The computer calculates an instant value of the status of the track section as a function of an instant vector based on a measure of an intensity of the current transmitted by a first of the detectors as measured by the first detector (Txl), a measure of an intensity of the current received by the first detector as measured by the first detector (Rxl) and a measure of an intensity of the current transmitted by the second detector as measured by the second detector (Txl).

Method for determining a status of a track section of a railroad; associated apparatus and non-transitory computer readable medium

A system includes a route examining system and an off-board failsafe controller. The route examining system is configured to examine a route on which a first vehicle system is moving and to generate an inspection signal based on the route examination. The inspection signal indicates a status of a segment of the route as damaged or undamaged. The off-board failsafe controller is configured to receive the inspection signal from the route examining system. Responsive to a lack of receipt of the inspection signal within a designated time period which indicates communication loss with the route examining system, the failsafe controller is configured to generate a warning signal for communication to a second vehicle system. The warning signal is generated to direct the second vehicle system to (i) avoid traveling over the route segment or (ii) travel over the route segment or another route segment at a reduced speed.

Vehicle control based on communication with route examining system

A system includes a route examining system on a non-propulsion-generating vehicle at a trailing end of a leading vehicle system. The route examining system examines a route on which the leading vehicle system is moving to determine whether the route is damaged. The system also includes an off-board failsafe controller that communicates with the route examining system. The off-board failsafe controller sends a warning signal to the trailing vehicle system responsive to receiving a notification signal from the route examining system indicating detection of damage to the route. The off-board failsafe controller also sends the warning signal to the trailing vehicle system responsive to losing communication with the route examining system. The warning signal directs the trailing vehicle system to automatically change movement of the trailing vehicle system responsive to the detection of damage to the route and/or the off-board failsafe controller losing communication with the route examining system.

Route examining system

Controlling a level crossing of a railway track by providing a train having an onboard processor communicating with a wayside processor associated to a level crossing, said train having a forward end and a rear end; moving the train forward along the railway track lowering down gates of the level crossing when train is at a predetermined distance upon detection of the train approaching the level crossing; when the forward end passes over a first reference point defining the beginning of an island area of the level crossing, sending a first message from the onboard safety processor towards the wayside processor informing that the train is approaching the level crossing; maintaining down gates; when the rear end passes over a second reference point defining the end of the island area, sending a second message from the onboard safety processor to the wayside processor informing that the train has left the level crossing; and lifting the gates.

Method for controlling a level crossing and railway installation for implementing such method

A route inspection system includes one or more processors configured to identify a reference location in sensor data provided by one or more sensors onboard a vehicle system. The reference location is identified along a route being traveled by the vehicle system. The one or more processors also are configured to identify a location of interest in subsequent sensor data provided by the one or more sensors. The location of interest identified along the route being traveled by the vehicle system. The one or more processors also are configured to determine a degree of curvature in the route based on a difference between the reference location and the location of interest.

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Melbourne, FL, United States of America

Chris Schuchmann