Siemens Mobility Gmbh

Stefan Fritschi

Mark Corbo

Holger Schmidt

Brian Harp

Stuart Goose

Omer Metel

Jay Yocum

A system () for monitoring a railroad grade crossing () includes an illumination device () for illuminating a section of a railroad grade crossing (), and a control device () in communication with the illumination device (). The illumination device () is configured to obtain data of the section of the railroad grade crossing () while illuminating the section, and the control device () is configured to receive and evaluate the data. Further, a method () for monitoring a railroad grade crossing () is provided.

System and method for monitoring a railroad grade crossing

A railway road crossing warning system () including a railway road crossing control unit () that may be selectively set to a primary or a secondary mode of operation is provided. In the primary mode of operation, the railway road crossing control unit is responsive to a primary activation signal () received from a primary activation-signal source (), such as a positive train control (PTC) system. In the event the primary activation signal from the primary activation-signal source is not available, railway road crossing control unit () is set to the secondary mode of operation, where the railway road crossing control unit is responsive to one or more signals () received from a secondary activation-signal source () including a railway-vehicle sensing system () electrically-decoupled from a railroad track (). Disclosed embodiments maintain operational robustness in the presence of changing weather and avoid variable electrical ballast conditions that otherwise could develop across the rails, while providing a cost-effective and reliable backup capability for a PTC-started crossing system.

Railway road crossing warning system with sensing system electrically-decoupled from railroad track

A railroad system including a wayside inspector system responsive to data originated from a real-time train tracking system, such as GPS or PTC is provided. The data from the real-time train tracking system includes data indicative of a respective train en route to a respective crossing. The data is further indicative of a respective direction of travel on a respective railway track of the respective train en route to the respective crossing. Disclosed embodiments offer a technical solution involving no physical sensing devices on the railway tracks for detection of the respective train en route to the respective crossing. This solution is effective for automated testing and reporting of timely activation of crossing warning equipment based on the data originated from the real-time train tracking system.

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Louisville, KY, United States of America

Stefan Fritschi