New York Air Brake Corporation

Douglas G Knight

Dale R Stevens

Anthony W Lumbis

Bryan M McLaughlin

Arnold W Knight

Clifford G Smyrl

A method of serialization including establishing a parameter along a length of the train between a node on one of the cars and one end of the train. The presence of the parameter at each node is determined and the parameter is removed. The sequence is repeated for each node on the train. Finally, serialization of the cars is determined as a function of the number of determined presences of the parameter for each node. The parameter can be established by providing at the individual node, one at a time, an electric load across an electric line running through the length of the train and measuring an electrical property, either current or voltage, at each node. To determine the orientation of a car, each node include two subnodes. The operability of each node is determined by counting the presence and then the absence of a parameter along the whole train.

Automatic train serialization with car orientation

A method of serialization including providing a parameter which varies along the length of the train and transmitting a synchronization signal along the length of the train to the local nodes at each car. The parameter is measured at each node with respect to the occurrence of the synchronization signal at the node. Serialization of the cars is then performed as a function of the measured parameters. One method is to provide the parameters by transmitting a serial signal which propagates through the train at a slower rate than the synchronization signal and then measuring the difference in time between the receipt of the synchronization and the serial signal at each node. A second method of implementation is to create a pressure gradient in the brake pipe along the length of the train. The brake pipe pressure or flow rate is read at each node upon receipt of the synchronization signal. As a third alternative, an electric load is provided at each node in parallel to a trainline running through the train. The current or voltage of the trainline at each node is then measured upon receipt of the synchronization signal.

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Minneapolis, MN, United States of America

Douglas G Knight