Abstract: An apparatus for determining the rotation of a wheel truck on a rail vehicle and further for determining the relative direction of motion of said truck with respect to said rail vehicle and further for determining the rate at which the truck moves with respect to the rail vehicle is disclosed, which is a low power radar sensor disposed underneath the rail vehicle and directed toward the truck. In a Preferred embodiment, two sensors are shown which are disposed on opposite sides of the rail vehicle. The sensors are coupled with an onboard computing device and with other components of a train control system which can be used for precisely locating the train on closely spaced parallel tracks and further for updating and augmenting position information used by the train control system. The system including GPS receivers and wheel tachometers for providing alternate sources of information for position determination.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining the presence of a third rail disposed between parallel railroad tracks as a train progresses along said parallel railroad tracks and further for determining the relative direction of motion of said third rail with respect to said first two rails and further for determining the rate at which the third rail moves with respect to the first rails is disclosed, which is a low power radar sensor disposed underneath the rail vehicle and directed toward the rail on the opposing side of the vehicle. In a preferred embodiment, two rail detectors are shown which are disposed on opposite sides of the rail vehicle. The radar detectors are coupled with an onboard computing device and with other components of an advanced train control system which can be used for precisely locating the train on closely spaced parallel tracks and further for updating and augmenting position information used by the advanced train control system.

Abstract: A railroad in-cab signaling system which includes transceivers disposed at signals where various transceivers are operating on different frequencies and addresses so as to provide for easy identification and highly secure communication to the signal transceiver and a tunable transceiver disposed on the locomotive, the locomotive transceiver being coupled to an interrogator which interrogates transponders disposed in the tracks, the transponders providing a message containing the predetermined frequency and address of the signal transceiver thereby allowing the locomotive transceiver to tune to the appropriate frequency and established a connection for the signal which it is approaching. The locomotive transceiver and the signal transceiver are then capable of exchanging information along the entire distance from the transponder to the signal.