Abstract: A vehicle warning system is for use with a vehicle having an air horn (30) and a vehicle speed sensor (19) which provides a vehicle speed signal to a vehicle data bus (20). The vehicle warning system has at least one brake pressure sensor (22) to provide a brake pressure signal, an air valve (26), and a controller (24). The controller determines that the brake pressure signal indicates an excessive brake pressure and that the vehicle speed signal indicates an excessive vehicle speed, and opens the air valve to activate the air horn. The controller may read the vehicle speed from the vehicle data bus at periodic intervals or when it determines that there is an excessive brake pressure. The brake pressure is considered to be excessive if it exceeds a brake pressure threshold. The vehicle speed is considered to be excessive if it exceeds a vehicle speed threshold.

Abstract: Methods, systems and a kit for indicating brake air pressure status in brake pipes of multiple interconnected train cars are provided. The methods include operating at least one end-hose adapter per train car. Each end-hose adapter is mounted between a train car end hose and a brake pipe to be in fluid communication therewith and are configured to sense the brake air pressure in the brake pipe. Each end-hose adapter kit includes connections adapters for connecting either end to different parts of the train car system. The end-hose adapter provides a first visual indication when the brake air pressure is within an operable range and/or a second visual indication when the brake air pressure is below an operable value and is experiencing leakage.

Abstract: A method for determining whether a defined section of a transportation track is occupied is described. The method includes inducing an audio frequency (AF) signal at a first position on the transportation track and receiving the AF signal at a second position on the transportation track. The defined section of the transportation track is located between the first position and the second position on the transportation track. The method further includes measuring a strength of the AF signal received as a function of time at the second position, and identifying an inflection point of the recorded AF signal strength. The inflection point indicates at least one of a rail vehicle entering the defined section of the transportation track and the rail vehicle exiting the defined section of the transportation track. The method further includes determining an occupancy of the defined section of the transportation track, based on the inflection point.

Abstract: A system for positively determining that an engineman has actually activated a manual whistle valve to sound a pneumatic warning horn on a railway vehicle having a low pressure and high pressure sensing apparatus for conveying signals to an event recorder for monitoring and recording the pressure of an air supply source and the sounding of the pneumatic warning device.

Abstract: The specification discloses an improved railroad track curve liner for more accurately locating track transition points to more accurately calculate an improved track configuration as a funcion of the existing track configuration. The curve liner is mounted on a track tamper. During a first pass over the track, the curve liner acquires track ordinate information. After calculating the ideal track configuration, the tamper laterally shifts the track to the ideal configuration in a second pass over the track. The improved track configuration is calculated in recognition that the ordinate graph is not linear in all areas--particularly at tract transition points.

Abstract: A system for recording railroad track curvature utilizes linear motion transducers between the tracks of a railroad vehicle and the sides of the vehicle, or between adjacent vehicles, to continually measure the degree of curvature together with speed, stopped time and distance. A conventional event recorder is used for actual recording of the curvature information as a trace, which may be recorded on a conventional channel not then in use, such as the dynamic brake set up signal. A switching circuit substitutes that signal for the curvature signal immediately upon the dynamic brakes being applied. Thus substituting load (amps) for the curvature signal in the trace being recorded.

Abstract: The position of an event, such as emergency braking, of a railroad vehicle enroute on a track mapped on a chart is accurately recorded by continually sensing the degree and direction of track curvature, and recording the track curvature and event data for later display. Speed is also recorded as a function of time to provide a scale as an aid to interpolation of a recorded event position between recorded curves. The event position thus recorded and identified by nearby curves in the track is accurate to within a small fraction of a mile.

Abstract: An automatic message announcement system for trains in the railroad station premises, including a train tracking circuit which tracks the location of approaching train, a trains information memory which stores information concerning each train, an edition circuit which combines the train information read out from said train information memory and a series of message patterns which include portions to be completed and which edits the message patterns to produce a series of short messages arranged sequentially according of their priority order to the content, an announcement message selection circuit which determines up to which short message among those arranged sequentially according to said priority order should be announced, in accordance with the location of the train at the time the announcement starts, and an automatic announcement system which includes a voice memory containing addressable voice segments for annoucing the message determined above.

Abstract: An events-monitoring and recording system for providing at any desired time a tangible record of a large number of several kinds of different events that have occurred randomly over an extended period of time, and in the case of each event further providing an accurate record of the date and time of day at which the individual event occurred. The data of the events are immediately produced and stored for future access as the events occur, without involving any moving mechanisms and with recording of each change of time from AM to PM and from one day to the next, whereby the system is capable of operating faultlessly in extremely adverse environments subject to vibration, heat, cold, particulate and gaseous pollutants and without attention over extended periods of time.