Abstract: A method and monitoring unit for recording the status of a railroad vehicle prior to a potential accident. In a monitoring unit mounted in or on a railroad vehicle, such as a locomotive, a video camera is provided to continuously view a scene that the railroad vehicle approaches. The monitoring unit continuously monitors the status of an emergency brake of the railroad vehicle and the status of a horn of the railroad vehicle. Video signals from the video camera are continuously stored. A control unit in the monitoring unit detects the application of both the emergency brake and blast of the horn within a predetermined time window. Video signals from the video camera are captured for a predetermined period of time after detecting that the application of the emergency brake and horn blast within the predetermined time window.

Abstract: A vehicle security system and methods for triggering alarms, including a controller responsive to entry of a security code via the keypad which matches a particular security code to disengage an starter blocking relay. The controller is further responsive to determining that the ignition switch is turned to the "on" position without prior entry of a matching security code to start a timer which times out after a predetermined period of time, whereby in response to non-entry of a matching security code before expiration of the predetermined period of time, the controller generates an alarm signal for transmission via the wireless transceiver to a central monitoring station. If the controller determines that the ignition switch is turned to its off position after the timer is started, it disengages the starter blocking relay so as to enable ignition of the vehicle.