Abstract: A system for maintaining brake cylinder pressure comprises a maintaining valve, a brake pipe, an emergency reservoir, and a brake cylinder configured to be in fluid communication with the brake pipe and the emergency reservoir. The brake pipe is configured to sustain a predetermined pressure within the brake cylinder during a brake application based on a differential between a pressure of the emergency reservoir and a pressure of the brake pipe.

Abstract: A system for converting an ABDW-type control valve to an ABDX-type control valve for use in a braking mechanism for a railway vehicle includes an ABDW-type control valve body in communication with an air supply system of the braking mechanism for controlling an application and release of brakes in response to changes in air pressure within the braking mechanism. A breather plate is mounted on an accelerated application valve interface on the control valve body. The breather plate has an internal stability volume for compensating a function of an accelerated application valve. A modified slide valve bushing is mounted inside the control valve body for establishing fluid communication with at least one passageway within the control valve body. At least one plug mounted is to at least one air passageway within the control valve body for sealing or choking the at least one air passageway.

Abstract: An empty-load device feedback arrangement for a train with the railcar having an air brake arrangement with an one air-operable braking assembly, the arrangement including: an empty-load device having: at least one sensor arrangement to sense a load associated with the railcar; a braking assembly input exhibiting a delivered air pressure; a regulation arrangement to regulate air pressure; and a braking assembly output exhibiting a regulated air pressure; and a pressure sensor to: sense the regulated air pressure of the air being delivered to the air-operable braking assembly; and generate a regulated air pressure signal. An air brake arrangement is also disclosed.

Abstract: A transition plate connects an electronic manifold to a pipe mounting bracket of a railway brake system and includes a body having a manifold portion that defines a face configured to engage the manifold and a pipe bracket portion that defines a face configured to engage the pipe mounting bracket; ports defined in the manifold face that are configured to align and communicate with ports in the face of the manifold; ports defined in the pipe bracket face that are configured to align and communicate with ports in the face of the pipe mounting bracket; and a plurality of air passages extending through the body for connecting the plurality of ports defined in the manifold face with the plurality of ports defined in the pipe bracket face. The transition plate establishes a pneumatic interface between the electronic manifold and the pipe mounting bracket.

Abstract: An empty-load device feedback arrangement for a train with the railcar having an air brake arrangement with an one air-operable braking assembly, the arrangement including: an empty-load device having: at least one sensor arrangement to sense a load associated with the railcar; a braking assembly input exhibiting a delivered air pressure; a regulation arrangement to regulate air pressure; and a braking assembly output exhibiting a regulated air pressure; and a pressure sensor to: sense the regulated air pressure of the air being delivered to the air-operable braking assembly; and generate a regulated air pressure signal. An air brake arrangement is also disclosed.

Abstract: A system for determining a distance of travel of a brake cylinder piston includes a brake cylinder having the brake cylinder piston, a pressure transducer operationally coupled to the brake cylinder and configured to determine a pressure measurement within the brake cylinder, and a control module of an electrically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brake control system. The control module is operationally coupled to the pressure transducer and configured to convert the pressure measurement within the brake cylinder determined by the pressure transducer into at least one of a displacement time of the brake cylinder piston, an equalization pressure within the brake cylinder, a pressure build-up time within the brake cylinder, a pressure leakage from the brake cylinder, or any combination thereof.

Abstract: A method for establishing a predicted brake pipe pressure gradient is disclosed and generally includes installing an end-of-train unit on a railcar of an active train for sensing brake pipe pressure; installing a head-end-unit on a locomotive in the active train; transmitting brake pipe pressure data from the end-of-train unit to the head-end-unit; calculating predictive brake pipe pressure gradient between a first end of the brake pipe at the locomotive and a second end at the railcar; and displaying the predictive brake pipe pressure gradient for an observer in the locomotive.

Abstract: A system for determining a distance of travel of a brake cylinder piston includes a brake cylinder having the brake cylinder piston, a pressure transducer operationally coupled to the brake cylinder and configured to determine a pressure measurement within the brake cylinder, and a control module of an electrically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brake control system. The control module is operationally coupled to the pressure transducer and configured to convert the pressure measurement within the brake cylinder determined by the pressure transducer into at least one of a displacement time of the brake cylinder piston, an equalization pressure within the brake cylinder, a pressure build-up time within the brake cylinder, a pressure leakage from the brake cylinder, or any combination thereof.

Abstract: A fixedly mountable event recorder for a railcar for monitoring performance of a brake system thereof includes (a) at least one port for receiving air from one or more brake system components; (b) at least one sensor for determining a pressure of the air received from the one or more brake system components; (c) a processor operative for analyzing the determined pressure to determine an operational condition of the brake system; and (d) an indicator configured to visually convey the operational condition of the brake system. The indicator includes a plurality of activatable visual indicia corresponding to a plurality of predefined operational condition status qualifiers associated with a corresponding plurality of predefined ranges of operational conditions. The predefined ranges of operational conditions are defined as a function of expected pressures associated with the respective one or more brake system components during corresponding operational conditions thereof.

Abstract: A fixedly mountable event recorder for a railcar for monitoring performance of a brake system thereof includes (a) at least one port for receiving air from one or more brake system components; (b) at least one sensor for determining a pressure of the air received from the one or more brake system components; (c) a processor operative for analyzing the determined pressure to determine an operational condition of the brake system; and (d) an indicator configured to visually convey the operational condition of the brake system. The indicator includes a plurality of activatable visual indicia corresponding to a plurality of predefined operational condition status qualifiers associated with a corresponding plurality of predefined ranges of operational conditions. The predefined ranges of operational conditions are defined as a function of expected pressures associated with the respective one or more brake system components during corresponding operational conditions thereof.

Abstract: A portable device permits testing of an EOT unit of a two-way end-of-train (EOT) radio telemetry system. During the test, the EOT unit may be mounted to and fully installed on the railcar on which it is to be used. The portable device includes a microprocessor unit, a display, and a transceiver that enables the invention to communicate with the EOT unit. The portable device also includes a mechanism for authorizing the portable device to communicate with the EOT unit. Used to control the overall operation of the portable device, the microprocessor unit operates the transceiver in cooperation with the aforementioned mechanism so as to authorize the portable device to communicate with the EOT unit according to an arming procedure. The microprocessor unit also operates the display on which the progress and completion of the arming procedure is indicated.

Abstract: An adapter is designed to interconnect the two glad hands that extend from the adjacently disposed ends of a pair of rail vehicles in a train. The housing of the adapter includes first and second connector bodies and an intermediate portion situated between the two connector bodies. The adapter housing encloses a flow chamber that runs from the first connector body through the intermediate portion to the second connector body. The intermediate portion defines a vertically disposed access port in communication with the flow chamber of the adapter housing. The connector bodies are formed on opposite, vertically oriented sides of the adapter housing. Each connector body features a mating surface from which a flow port in communication with the flow chamber emerges. Each connector body also includes a mechanism that allows the connector body to mechanically couple to one of the glad hands.

Abstract: A combined automatic pneumatic and electro-pneumatic brake system for a railroad freight car in which a conventional type ABD control valve device is modified to incorporate a solenoid valve portion at a mounting face from which the manual release valve portion has been removed and where existing passages in the control valve may be accessed in order to utilize the existing car control valve device with only a minimum of modification.

Abstract: An electro-pneumatic brake control system for a railroad freight car comprises application and release solenoid valves controlled by a microprocessor overlayed with the conventional car automatic pneumatic brake control system, including control for bleeding off auxiliary reservoir pressure at least during a power failure mode of operation during which the pneumatic brakes become effective to apply the car brakes in response to an induced brake pipe pressure reduction in the course of indirectly supplying brake pressure on cars having operable electro-pneumatic brakes. The bleed of auxiliary reservoir air pressure allows a subsequent slow recharge of the brake pipe pressure to create a positive release pressure differential across the control valve service piston to assure a brake release of the automatic pneumatic brake application to obviate a "stuck brake" condition on a car experiencing an electro-pneumatic power failure.

Abstract: For use with control valves having test ports via which various pressures may be accessed in performing an automatic single car brake test, there is provided a test plate via which such control valves may be conditioned to obtain faster charging of the brake equipment when performing the brake test with a manual single car tester. The test plate interconnects the test ports such that the test pressure supplied to the car brake pipe charges the brake equipment in by-pass of the charging choke in the control valve.

Abstract: A portable, single-car test unit for a railway freight brake control valve for manually executing pressure manipulations to evaluate the operating conditions of the control valve. The pipe bracket portion is connected to a brake pipe, an auxiliary reservoir, an emergency reservoir, a brake cylinder retaining valve and a brake cylinder each being connected to a respective fluid passageway. The test unit accesses the fluid passageways at access ports, respectively connected to each passageway. Valves are utilized in the test unit to manipulate the pressure in the fluid passageways and pressure gauges measure fluid pressure in the passageways. An operator records each pressure measurement and calculates and stores the differences between selected pairs of the pressure measurements as well as elapsed time data for the measurements.

Abstract: A portable, microprocessor controlled single-car test unit for a railway freight brake control valve for automatically executing pressure manipulations to evaluate the operating conditions of the control valve. The pipe bracket portion is connected to a brake pipe, an auxiliary reservoir, an emergency reservoir, a brake cylinder retaining valve and a brake cylinder each being connected to a respective fluid passageway. The test unit accesses the fluid passageways at access ports, respectively connected to each passageway. Valves are utilized in the test unit to manipulate the pressure in the fluid passageways and pressure transducers measure fluid pressure in the passageways. The pressure transducers are controlled by a computer having a microprocessor connected to an input output device. The computer records and stores each pressure measurement, and calculates and stores the differences between selected pairs of the pressure measurements as well as elapsed time data for the measurements.

Abstract: A backup pneumatic emergency control valve for an electro-pneumatic brake system for a railroad freight car comprising an emergency portion of a standard AB type freight brake control valve device without the service portion.

Abstract: An electro-pneumatic brake system for a railroad freight car is integrated with the existing pneumatic freight brake system by utilizing the air stored in the emergency reservoir to supply brake cylinder pressure via the exhaust passage of the pneumatic control valve, which is maintained in release position during electro-pneumatic brake operation. The electro-pneumatic brake system fails to a release mode, so that the brakes on an individual car that experiences a power loss do not apply. In the case of a power loss in the electro-pneumatic system, due to a train break-in-two, the pneumatic brake system is automatically operated by the consequent loss of brake pipe pressure to provide a back-up brake, while at the same time interrupting the control valve exhaust path via which the electro-pneumatic brake is communicated with the brake cylinder.

Abstract: A quick service limiting valve device for a freight brake control valve employing a primary valve in a fluid flow path via which brake pipe air is connected to the brake cylinder during a secondary phase of quick service to propagate the brake pipe reduction signal until the brake cylinder pressure acting on the limiting valve control piston effects closure of the primary valve to terminate the quick service flow of brake pipe air to the brake cylinder when a predetermined brake cylinder limit pressure is realized. A secondary valve is arranged to interrupt the brake pipe to brake cylinder flow path downstream of the primary valve in the event leakage at the primary valve causes the pressure acting on the quick service limiting valve control piston to exceed the predetermined limit pressure.