Abstract: A railway train control system having a multi-purpose display is disclosed. The railway train control system includes a human-machine interface having a first display and a second, display. The first display provides a train control interface that enables a first operator, such as an engineer, to control one or more functions of the train. The second display is a multipurpose display that can switch between a standard mode and an application mode. The second display displays a read-only display of the train control interface in the standard mode and displays applications to enable a second operator, such as a conductor, to complete various tasks in the application mode.

Abstract: A scheduling system is provided for improving the routing performance of a plurality of objects moving through a transportation network. In one preferred application, a train scheduling system is improved by using an artificial neural network (ANN) to determine the trains' arrival times at various points in the network. Real-time data collection is minimized by training the ANN using stored data regarding historical, previously run train routes. A train's particular physical characteristics are input to the ANN to predict the trains' arrival times at the particular destination within the network. Scheduling and routing functions may then be applied to the ANN output data to determine modified, train arrival times and to make routing changes to optimize the scheduling. Completed route information is continuously fed back to the ANN and the scheduling system to retrain the ANN, assimilate the latest route data and further optimize the system's scheduling performance.