Abstract: An inspection system for use with a rail vehicle includes a sensor configured to be deployed onboard the rail vehicle for inspection of wayside rail equipment to determine operability or alignment of the equipment.

Abstract: An inspection system for use with a rail vehicle includes a database containing vehicle route data and at least one location of track to be inspected.

Abstract: A method includes forming a first schedule for a first vehicle to travel in a transportation network. The first schedule includes a first arrival time of the first vehicle at a scheduled location. The method also includes receiving a first trip plan for the first vehicle from an energy management system. The first trip plan is based on the first schedule and designates at least one of tractive efforts or braking efforts to be provided by the first vehicle to reduce at least one of an amount of energy consumed by the first vehicle or an amount of emissions generated by the first vehicle when the first vehicle travels through the transportation network to the scheduled location. The method further includes determining whether to modify the first schedule to avoid interfering with movement of one or more other vehicles by examining the trip plan for the first vehicle.

Abstract: A method for controllably linking propulsion units in a vehicle consist includes transmitting a linking signal having an identity of a lead propulsion unit. A remote propulsion unit is remotely controlled by the lead unit when the identity matches a designated identity stored onboard the remote unit. A de-linking signal is transmitted from the lead unit when the lead unit is to be decoupled from the vehicle consist. The de-linking signal includes a replacement identity of a replacement propulsion unit. A replacement linking signal is transmitted from a second lead unit. The remote propulsion unit allows the second lead propulsion unit to remotely control the operations of the remote propulsion unit when replacement identity stored onboard the remote propulsion unit matches an identity that is communicated in the replacement linking signal.

Abstract: In a system and method for communicating data in a locomotive consist or other vehicle consist (comprising at least first and second linked vehicles), a first electronic component in the first vehicle of the vehicle consist is monitored to determine if the component is in (or enters) a failure state. In the failure state, the first electronic component is unable to perform a designated function. Upon determining the failure state, data is transmitted from the first vehicle to a second electronic component on the second vehicle, over a communication channel linking the first vehicle and the second vehicle. The second electronic component is operated based on the transmitted data, with the second electronic component performing the designated function that the first electronic component is unable to perform.

Abstract: A sensing system includes a leading sensor, a trailing sensor, and a route examining unit. The leading sensor is onboard a first vehicle of a vehicle system that is traveling along a route. The leading sensor measures first characteristics of the route as the vehicle system moves along the route. The trailing sensor is disposed onboard a second vehicle of the vehicle system. The trailing sensor measures second characteristics of the route as the vehicle system moves along the route. The route examining unit is disposed onboard the vehicle system and receives the first characteristics of the route and the second characteristics of the route to compare the first characteristics with the second characteristics. The route examining unit also identifies a segment of the route as being damaged based on a comparison of the first characteristics with the second characteristics.

Abstract: A system includes at least one examining module configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle system and a mitigation module. The at least one examining module is configured to identify an identified section of a route being traversed by the vehicle system, with the identified section corresponding to at least one of a potentially damaged section of the route or an actually damaged section of the route. The mitigation module is configured to, responsive to an identification by the at least one examining module of the identified section of the route, automatically perform a mitigation action corresponding to the identified section of the route.

Abstract: A communication system for a vehicle consist may include a control module that interfaces with router transceiver units coupled to a cable bus, and can communicate network data between vehicles having a transceiver unit over a cable bus.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for processing data generated in a vehicle group. One example embodiment comprises evaluating one or more quality parameters of a first data set generated at a first vehicle in the vehicle group by a first data capture device, and based on the evaluation, off-boarding the first data set for storage purposes. Based on a link quality of a communication system of the vehicle group, the first data set may be off-boarded to a second vehicle in the vehicle group or to a remote storage device. In one example, if the quality parameter of the first data set is higher, the data may be stored on a second vehicle, while if the quality parameter of the first data set is lower, a second data set generated at the second vehicle by a second data capture device may be stored on the second vehicle.

Abstract: A rail vehicle control communication system includes a vehicle management device capable of being coupled with a conductive pathway extending along a track and of forming an instruction to control an operation of a rail vehicle travelling along the track, the vehicle management device transmitting the instruction to the rail vehicle through the conductive pathway; and an on-board communication device capable of being coupled with the rail vehicle, the on-board communication device configured to receive the instruction communicated through the conductive pathway from the vehicle management device, the on-board communication device configured to change the operation of the rail vehicle based on the instruction.

Abstract: A control system includes an energy management system and an isolation control system. The energy management system generates a trip plan that designates operational settings of a vehicle system having powered units that generate tractive effort to propel the vehicle system. The energy management system determines a tractive effort capability of the vehicle system and a demanded tractive effort of a trip. The energy management system identifies a tractive effort difference between the tractive effort capability of the vehicle system and the demanded tractive effort of the trip and selects at least one of the powered units based on the tractive effort difference. The isolation module remotely turns the selected powered unit to an OFF mode such that the vehicle system is propelled along the route during the trip by the powered units other than the selected powered unit.

Abstract: A system includes a vehicle control system, a friction modification unit, and a friction management module. The vehicle control system is configured to obtain a trip plan for the vehicle. The trip plan is based on one or more characteristics of a trip of the vehicle along a route in a transportation network, characteristics of the vehicle, or characteristics of the route along which the vehicle travels. The trip plan designates one or more tractive operations or braking operations. The friction modification unit is configured to modify a friction characteristic of a surface of the route as the vehicle travels on the route. The friction management module is configured to direct the friction modification unit to modify the friction characteristic of the surface of the route based on the trip plan.

Abstract: A communication system for a rail vehicle consist includes antenna modules, routing modules, and an arbitration module. The antenna modules are disposed at spaced apart locations and receive a trip profile from an off-board device. The trip profile is related to tractive and/or braking effort supplied by one or more powered units of the rail vehicle consist. The routing modules are disposed on the powered units and are communicatively coupled with the antenna modules. The routing modules are communicatively coupled with a network connection extending along the rail vehicle consist between the powered units. The arbitration module is communicatively coupled with the routing modules by the network connection. The routing modules transmit the received trip profile to the arbitration module. The arbitration module reconstitutes the trip profile into a message that is transmitted to a propulsion subsystem of one or more of the powered units.

Abstract: Systems and methods for communicating through a rail are provided. In one embodiment, a method for communicating through a rail is provided. The method includes sending an acoustic signal through the rail of a designated section of track. The acoustic signal includes control commands to remotely control operation of a rail vehicle on the designated section of track.

Abstract: A communication system for a rail vehicle consist includes antenna modules, routing modules, and an arbitration module. The antenna modules are disposed at spaced apart locations along the consist and receive network data from an off-board device. The routing modules are communicatively coupled with the antenna modules and receive the network data from the antenna modules. The routing modules are communicatively coupled with a network connection extending along the rail vehicle consist. The arbitration module is communicatively coupled with the network connection. The arbitration module forms a message represented by the network data. One or more of the routing modules transmits the network data received from the off-board device to the arbitration module over the network connection. The arbitration module receives the network data to form the message and transmits the message to one or more powered units of the rail vehicle consist through the network connection.

Abstract: A route examining system includes an application device, a control unit, a detection unit, and an identification unit. The application device is onboard a first vehicle of a first vehicle system traveling along a route. The control unit controls supply of electric current from a power source to the application device in order to electrically inject an examination signal into the route via the application device. The detection unit is off-board of the first vehicle and monitors electrical characteristics of the route in response to the examination signal being injected into the route. The identification unit is off-board of the first vehicle and examines the one or more electrical characteristics of the route in order to determine whether a section of the route extending between the first vehicle and the detection unit is potentially damaged based on the one or more electrical characteristics.

Abstract: In a system and method for communicating data in a locomotive consist or other vehicle consist (comprising at least first and second linked vehicles), a first electronic component in the first vehicle of the vehicle consist is monitored to determine if the component is in (or enters) a failure state. In the failure state, the first electronic component is unable to perform a designated function. Upon determining the failure state, data is transmitted from the first vehicle to a second electronic component on the second vehicle, over a communication channel linking the first vehicle and the second vehicle. The second electronic component is operated based on the transmitted data, with the second electronic component performing the designated function that the first electronic component is unable to perform.

Abstract: A control system includes an onboard controller, a location determination system, and a speed sensor. The controller identifies a designated area along a route that includes a downhill section, an airflow restricted area, a banked section, a section to be cleaned, an adverse environmental area, an adverse vehicular condition area, and/or a section where travel is restricted. The designated area is associated with an operating rule that requires the vehicle to travel at least as fast as a lower speed limit. The location determination system monitors actual locations of the vehicle as the vehicle travels along the route. The speed sensor obtains speed data representative of an actual velocity of the vehicle. The controller restricts control of the vehicle such that the actual velocity of the vehicle is at least as fast as the lower speed limit of the designated area when the vehicle is in the designated area.

Abstract: A sensing system includes a leading sensor, a trailing sensor, and a route examining unit. The sensors are coupled to a vehicle system that travels along a route. The leading sensor acquires first inspection data indicative of a condition of the route as the vehicle system travels over the route. The condition may represent the health of the route. The trailing sensor acquires additional, second inspection data that is indicative of the condition to the route subsequent to the leading sensor acquiring the first inspection data. The route examining unit identifies a section of interest in the route based on the first inspection data acquired by the leading sensor. The route examining unit also directs the trailing sensor to acquire the second inspection data within the section of interest in the route when the first inspection data indicates damage to the route in the section of interest.

Abstract: A rail vehicle includes of one or more locomotives and may further include one or more rail cars, and the rail vehicle further includes a locator element, a communications device and a control module located on the rail vehicle. The locator elements provide a location information of the rail vehicle to a control module. The control module is coupled to the communications device and the locator element. The control module determines control settings for controlling the operations of the communications device based on the location of the rail vehicle. The communications device sends and/or receives data, including communications data, off-board the rail vehicle.