Abstract: A high-altitude railroad locomotive adapted for more reliable operation at high altitudes, wherein the high-altitude railroad locomotive includes a semiconductor electric power control component, and wherein due to the high altitude the locomotive would be exposed to high levels of cosmic radiation tending to damage the semiconductor electric power control component is provided. The high-altitude locomotive includes electric power generation equipment, a plurality of traction motors mechanically connected to wheels supporting the high altitude locomotive and an electric power transmission system for transmitting electrical power from the electric power generation equipment to the plurality of traction motors.

Abstract: An electrical energy capture system for use in connection with a hybrid energy off highway vehicle system of a off highway vehicle. The hybrid energy off highway vehicle system includes an off highway vehicle, a primary power source, and an off highway vehicle traction motor propelling the off highway vehicle in response to the primary electric power. The off highway vehicle traction motor has a dynamic braking mode of operation generating electrical energy. The electrical energy capture system includes an energy management processor carried on the off highway vehicle. The capture system also includes an off highway vehicle electric generator connected to and driven by the primary power source for selectively supplying primary electric power, wherein the generator is responsive to said processor. An electrical energy storage device is carried on a off highway vehicle and is in electrical communication with the off highway vehicle traction motor.

Abstract: The invention is an apparatus and method for detecting and responding to a surge event in a locomotive engine system including a turbocharger and a diesel engine. A sensor detects an operating parameter of the turbocharged engine and generates a signal indicative of the detected operatng parameter. An engine control system is responsive to the signal representative of a sensed operating parameter, or a determined changed in a sensed parameter, for controlling a plurality of operational controls of the diesel engine system. The engine control system modifies one or more operational controls of the diesel engine system when the signal indicates a surge event.

Abstract: A portable flotation platform is disclosed for use in supporting a load of equipment, hunting dogs, or personnel above the level of a body of water. The platform includes a deck constructed to be of an overall density less than that of water and sized so as to support the load above the level of the water. An anchor extends down to the bottom of the water and up to the deck to hold the deck on station in the water. The deck is provided with a carrying attachment to facilitate the user carrying the deck to a point of deployment at the water. The deck further has anchor storage for carrying the anchor along with the deck to the point of deployment.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing the shop time of a vehicle, e.g., a locomotive, at a maintenance facility by obtaining onboard systems parameter data during a period when the vehicle is inbound to the maintenance facility for required periodic scheduled maintenance, and by determining, at the maintenance facility and prior to arrival of the vehicle at the maintenance facility, from the data received from the inbound vehicle, whether any of the data is out of a predetermined range or is trending to be out of range.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting the occurrence of an actual locked condition in a locomotive system having a locomotive operating in an isolated mode of operation. The locomotive has a plurality of AC traction motors for propelling the locomotive system during normal operations. The AC motors are reconfigurable to operate as AC generators and are connected to a common DC bus. When a potential locked condition in a first motor is detected, the DC bus is energized with an initial voltage using an alternate source of power. The DC bus voltage is regulated with a second motor by reconfiguring the second motor to operate as a generator. The torque produced by the first motor is then measured at a plurality of levels of electromagnetic flux in the first motor. Based on the measured torque, it is determined whether the potential locked condition is an actual locked condition.

Abstract: A method and system for operating an electrical system including an electrical machine to predict an incipient fault in the electrical machine. A neutral-to-ground leakage signal representative of current between a neutral point of the machine and an electrical ground is generated and stored in a memory. If the leakage signal exceeds a selected threshold, the electrical system is operated at a reduced power condition to control the current. Temperature criteria of the electrical system at which any moisture that could cause the high leakage current is determined with a temperature sensing system and the temperature is monitored and compared to the selected temperature criteria. The electrical system returns to operations at normal power conditions if the leakage signal returns to within the selected threshold. The leakage current signal information stored in the memory is analyzed to predict an incipient fault in the electrical system.

Abstract: A system and method for estimating the wheel speed of a vehicle propelled by DC motors mechanically coupled to at least one wheel on the vehicle so as to rotate said one or more wheel. At least one current detector is configured to measure armature and field current in each of the DC motors and produce a signal proportional to said currents and a voltage detector is configured to measure voltage applied to each of the DC motors and produce a signal proportional to said voltage. A processor is configured to determine a rotational speed as a function of the measured currents and voltages and configured to apply a correction factor to the determined rotational speed to obtain a corrected rotational speed.

Abstract: A method of servicing a mobile asset subject to utilization loss factors delaying the completion of servicing and the timely return of the asset to operation including identifying utilization loss factors that could delay the timely completion of servicing of the mobile asset. Identifying service procedures associated with each utilization loss factor and providing a database of events associated with the service procedures the events indicative of a status of completion of the procedures. A schedule may be established for at least one event for the timely completion of the respective service procedure. Monitoring the at least one event to determine when the event occurred relative to the scheduled time and if the at least one event is late, providing notice that the relevant utilization loss factor is likely to cause delay in the timely return of the asset to operation unless corrective action is taken.

Abstract: A method for detecting electrical faulty conditions in a plurality of power devices of a propulsion system is provided. The plurality of power devices is connectable in parallel circuit through a direct current (DC) link to an external DC power source. The method provides a first sequence of actions for determining an electrical short condition in at least one of the power devices upon the power source being connected. The method further provides a second sequence of actions for determining an electrical open condition in a respective one of the plurality of power devices during the occurrence of high current events.

Abstract: A system and method for railroad cab signal quality detection and reporting for use in connection with a railroad cab signaling system in which a status signal is carried on a railroad rail. The status signal has a cab signal parameter that is indicative of a status of a zone of track. A signal detector detects the status signal transmitted via the railroad rail. A signal measurement subsystem associated with the signal detector measures the cab signal parameter. A quality analysis subsystem analyzes the measured cab signal parameter and determines a measure of quality of the cab signal parameter. The system may include equipment that is mounted on a rail vehicle, such as a locomotive, or mounted along a block of track, or on portable equipment. The system may also include a cab signal quality collection and reporting system. The method includes detecting the cab status signal and measuring the cab signal parameter from the detected status signal.

Abstract: A method and system for a lead mobile asset to verify that a remote mobile asset under the control of the lead mobile asset is following a set of command functions broadcast by the lead mobile asset in a command message. The lead and remote mobile assets may be part of a train consist equipped with a distributed power communication system. The method includes determining whether the lead mobile asset has received a status reply message from the remote mobile asset, the reply message transmitted in response to the remote mobile asset's receipt of the command message and including data indicative of at least one operational state of the remote mobile asset. A help command message may be broadcast from the lead mobile asset if the lead mobile asset has not received the status reply message from the remote mobile asset.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus (27) for a locomotive dynamic brake resistor grid stack (22) including a flow directing diffuser (24). The flow directing diffuser includes at least one turning vane member (26) disposed at an angle to the flow stream axis for directing a portion of the cooling air from a high velocity area of the air stream into a lower velocity area of the air stream. The flow directing diffuser may include an annular ring-shaped turning vane member (28) for directing high velocity air into a center low velocity area. The flow directing diffuser may further include a V-shaped turning vane member (32) associated with each corner (34) of the surrounding duct (36) for directing high velocity air into each corner low velocity area. Air is supplied to the duct 36 housing the flow directing diffuser by a mixed flow fan (54).

Abstract: A system and method for controlling, a response to an operator, a consist of at least first and second locomotives having discrete operating modes. The system and method comprises an operator control, a first controller, a second controller, and a communication link. Alternatively, the system and method includes control modules which may be retrofitted to an existing consist control. The power operating modes of the locomotives within a consist are selected to optimize the operation of the consist. The operation of the consist may be optimized for any number of factors including optimizing for braking capacity, as a function of the location, base on a performance parameter which is a function of a performance profile or the location of a crew member.

Abstract: A system (40) and method for remotely monitoring the operating status of railroad grade crossing warning equipment. A sensor (46) generates a signal (48) responsive to the operation of a grade crossing annunciator (42). In one embodiment, the annunciator may be a bell or speaker horn (92) and the sensor may be an accelerometer (99) mechanically coupled to the bell. A wayside controller (52) uses the signal as input for developing information (70) indicative of the operating status of the annunciator. A communications link (74) transmits the information to a location remote from the grade crossing. A system controller (78) located at the remote location may diagnose the information to direct a maintenance center (82) and/or operations center (86) in response to an indication of degraded performance of the annunciator. The communications link may include the Internet and may be used for two-way communication between the remote location and the grade crossing location (22).

Abstract: Computerized method and system for identifying repeatedly malfunctioning equipment and root causes therefor are provided. The method allows to provide a database comprising detailed equipment data including data indicative of historical equipment malfunctions in a plurality of pieces of equipment. The equipment data includes a unique equipment identifier for uniquely relating each malfunction to respective equipment. The method further allows to analyze the data base for a selected time window to review equipment malfunctions logged in the database and resulting in servicing activities over that time window. An equipment malfunction threshold for the number of malfunctions occurring during a predetermined period of time is established.

Abstract: A locomotive monitoring system defines several mutually exclusive operating states for a locomotive. The amount of time the locomotive operates in each state is preferably determined and recorded. This recorded information can then be evaluated with a view towards improving locomotive operations. For example, a plurality of mutually exclusive idle states can be defined and monitored to determine how long a locomotive idles under certain conditions instead of automatically shutting down for the purpose of conserving fuel. In this manner, the sources of lost fuel savings can be readily identified, quantified and addressed. An event log is also provided for chronicling certain operating events of interest over time, such as those relating to the starting, stopping and/or idling of the locomotive's engine.

Abstract: An automatic start/stop system for locomotive engines which takes into account operator needs and concerns by enabling operators to locally prevent automatic shutdowns of their locomotives without disabling their AESS systems. Thus, operators can maintain their lead (and/or other) units running (i.e., for peace of mind, climate control, etc.) without prohibiting other locomotives in consist from automatically shutting down. The system preferably includes an inhibit switch located in each locomotive control cabin which, when actuated by an operator, prevents that locomotive (and only that locomotive) from automatically shutting down within a predefined duration of time. Techniques for reminding and prompting an operator to enable an AESS system include sounding an alarm, displaying and recording fault data, and inhibiting motoring of the locomotive when the AESS system is disabled and the operator calls for braking or motoring capability.

Abstract: A method for sorting respective incident log data from a plurality of machines undergoing diagnostics is provided. The method allows for receiving incident log data comprising one or more incidents from the plurality of machines and for receiving operational parameter data from the plurality of machines. The method further allows for executing a set of incident-authentication rules indicative of whether a received incident actually corresponds to a faulty condition or not. An assigning step allows for assigning a predetermined incident severity rating to the respective incidents, and a processing step allows for processing the respective incidents based on their respective incident severity rating.

Abstract: The present invention discloses system and method for analyzing continuous parameter data from a malfunctioning locomotive or other large land-based, self-powered transport equipment. The method allows for receiving new continuous parameter data comprising a plurality of anomaly definitions from the malfunctioning equipment. The method further allows for selecting a plurality of distinct anomaly definitions from the new continuous parameter data. Respective generating steps allow for generating at least one distinct anomaly definition cluster from the plurality of distinct anomaly definitions and for generating a plurality of weighted repair and distinct anomaly definition cluster combinations. An identifying step allows for identifying at least one repair for the at least one distinct anomaly definition cluster using the plurality of weighted repair and distinct anomaly definition cluster combinations.