Abstract: A railway switch circuit controller having a housing with a bottom surface and opposed side surfaces. The bottom surface has a raised planar boss provided thereon, in which the raised boss is cast upon the bottom surface and is then machined so as to have a flat surface and a selected height. The side surfaces have respective openings provided therethrough for receiving a shaft. The shaft is rotatably disposed through the side surface openings and has one or more cam segments disposed thereupon. Each cam is engageable with a follower in which the follower is biased to a first position but rotation of the shaft causes the cam to move the follower to a second position. The follower is connected to a movable contact of a contact spring assembly. The contact spring assembly also has one or more sets of first and second generally nonmovable contacts in which the movable contact is disposed between the two nonmovable contacts. The contact spring assembly is secured to a terminal board.

Abstract: A method for selecting and responding to a malicious fault in a reconfigurable electronic apparatus that can perform multiple tasks, and that has fault processing for counteracting a class of faults which can generally cause the apparatus to fail during the execution of a preselected task if the fault processor is unavailable and to which class the malicious fault can belong. The reconfigurable electronic apparatus can be a fault processing system, which can be an interlocking control circuit, or a combinational circuit.

Abstract: A linear induction rail switch mechanism having at least one linear induction motor (LIM) for transversely thrusting a switch track from a first position to a second position. To reduce the frictional forces during transverse movement, the switch mechanism can be levitated from the underlying structures. The switch can have at least one controllable power supply which may supply electric power to an individual LIM or groups of LIMs, which may be three-phase motors. The switch may include a vital controller which is connected to at least one controllable power supply. The vital controller responds to at least one of a feedback signal from a controllable power supply, a feedback signal from a LIM, a feedback signal from a switch track, and a remote signal. The LIM may include a primary inductor which is affixed substantially rigidly to the ground and a secondary which is affixed to the switch track. In some embodiments, the secondary may be a ladder secondary.

Abstract: A rotary switch operated by a cam having a lobe is disclosed. The cam is attached to a mechanism for rotation about the axis of the cam. A first switch contact member is positioned adjacent said cam and selectively makes electrical contact with a second switch contact member. The bracket attached to the first switch contact member contains a roller positioned adjacent to the cam for rotatably engaging the cam as the cam rotates. The roller is positioned with the bracket portion of the first contact such that the axis of the roller is movable from a first position to a second position as the switch changes from an open to closed or from a closed to open position. The bracket may contain an elongated slot which permits the axle of the roller to move within the slot as the switch changes modes. The slot preferably extends linearly and at an angle less than 45 degrees from a tangent line to the surface of said lobe adjacent the slope between said cam and said lobe.

Abstract: A vital railway signal link for passing DC signals between a first terminal location and a second terminal location. A transmitter at the first terminal location receives a DC input signal and responsively produces a light signal modulated at a preselected frequency. The light signal is conducted through an optical fiber to the second terminal location. There, a receiver detects the light signal and produces a DC output signal. The receiver contains discriminator circuitry preferably including a bandpass filter to prevent light signals other than those modulated at the preselected frequency from giving an output signal.

Abstract: A hazard predictor that processes both rail and superstructure measurements to predict some potentially hazardous conditions on a railway structure. Measurement is collected in real time with the aid of fiber optic sensor based linear array mesh, and processed with a neural network. Sensors placed under the rail and sensors placed laterally of the rail provide data collection in real time both during occupied and unoccupied periods. In some embodiments the measurement data is compressed into two signatures which can be represented as two vectors. The collinearity of the vectors and the angle between the vectors are utilized to interpret the data as to track conditions. The angle between the descriptors can be used to predict the severity of degradation of the structure. The predictor can be used to manage maintenance of the structure and interface with existing railway signalling equipment to provide traffic management.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for moving a movable switch point a selected distance as a result of the throw of a switch machine. The apparatus includes an operating rod connected to and movable by the switch machine and a switch point adjuster mounted directly to the switch point and movable by the operating rod. The switch point adjuster has an elongated housing with a bore provided therethrough, in which the operating rod is disposed through the housing bore. The switch point adjuster also has first and second adjusting nuts that are adjustably secured to the operating rod on opposed sides of the housing, preferably by mated threading. The operating rod is movable bidirectionally through the housing until one of the adjusting nuts contacts the housing. In this way, lost motion of the switch machine may be compensated for. The adjusting nuts preferably have a head portion and a body portion, in which the head portion has a width greater than the width of the body portion.

Abstract: A system is disclosed to selectively initiate braking at a rear section of a railway train upon initiation of a selected front braking condition at the front section of the railway vehicle. The system utilizes an air sensor preferably constructed in the form of an insect excluder device to detect release of brake pipe air from an exhaust port upon initiation of braking at the front section of the vehicle. An appropriate signal is produced by the air sensor, thus permitting detector circuitry to detect that front braking has been initiated. A transmitter, typically located in the cab of the locomotive, is electrically connected to the detector circuitry. When the detector circuitry indicates that the selected front braking condition has been initiated, the transmitter transmits a brake initiation signal to a receiver located at the rear of the vehicle. The receiver then actuates pneumatic braking equipment at the rear to initiate rear braking.

Abstract: A signaling apparatus that includes a transmitter having a step-square wave generator for generating a signaling waveform, which waveform is composed of a plurality of square wave signals, and which has an information signal encoded thereupon. The apparatus may also include a signaling waveform receiver, disposed on the railcar, and an information signal decoder, connected to the receiver, for extracting the information signal from the receiver. The stepped-square wave generator produces square waves such that a portion of the duty cycle of one of a plurality of square wave signals overlaps at least a portion of the duty cycle of at least one other of the plurality of square wave signals. A method for signaling in which a multi-stepped square waveform is generated, includes a waveform having a series of superimposed square waves, each of which having preselected amplitudes and duty cycles. An information signal can be encoded upon the multi-stepped carrier waveform such that a coded-carrier signal is created.

Abstract: Highway crossing gate control circuit in which a permanent magnet motor is controlled to drive up and drive down the gate arm by utilization of a single motor control relay and controller contacts which sense the position of the gate arm. The motor polarity is reversed through utilization of the motor control relay, which is operated by a single up input signal. Provision is included for dynamic breaking on the arm moving downward after an initial drive down mode.

Abstract: A cab signaling apparatus for use on board a railway vehicle which is propelled on rail tracks by an electric drive motor. The invention utilizes a cab signal transmitted to the vehicle through a track circuit in the rails. On board receiving of the cab signal is done by a receiving coil, which may be mounted in front of the lead axle, as a current transformer around the lead axle, or at another location where the cab signal current is relatively strong. The cab signal that is sensed has a cab signal component and an interference component. On board the vehicle a sampled signal is taken which has the characteristic of the electromagnetic interference subjected to the cab signal receiver coil. The sampled signal is then subtracted from the sensed cab signal such that the sampled interference signal cancels the interference component of the cab signal.

Abstract: A cab signaling apparatus for use on board a railway vehicle which is propelled on rail tracks by an electric drive motor. The invention utilizes a cab signal transmitted to the vehicle through a track circuit in the rails. On board receiving of the cab signal is done by a receiving coil, which may be mounted in front of the lead axle, as a current transformer around the lead axle, or at another location where the cab signal current is relatively strong. The cab signal that is sensed has a cab signal component and an interference component. On board the vehicle a sampled signal is taken which has the characteristic of the electromagnetic interference subjected to the cab signal receiver coil. The sampled signal is then subtracted from the sensed cab signal such that the sampled interference signal cancels the interference component of the cab signal.

Abstract: A signaling apparatus that includes a transmitter having a step-square wave generator for generating a signaling waveform, which waveform is composed of a plurality of square wave signals, and which has an information signal encoded thereupon. The apparatus may also include a signaling waveform receiver, disposed on the railcar, and an information signal decoder, connected to the receiver, for extracting the information signal from the receiver. The stepped-square wave generator produces square waves such that a portion of the duty cycle of one of a plurality of square wave signals overlaps at least a portion of the duty cycle of at least one other of the plurality of square wave signals. A method for signaling in which a multi-stepped square waveform is generated, includes a waveform having a series of superimposed square waves, each of which having preselected amplitudes and duty cycles. An information signal can be encoded upon the multi-stepped carrier waveform such that a coded-carrier signal is created.

Abstract: The present invention provides a generally contactless method and apparatus for producing a speed reference for a rail vehicle which amenable to retrofit applications. The invention utilizes a laser source to direct a laser beam on a portion of the wheel and axle assembly of the rail vehicle. In presently preferred embodiments, the laser beam is directed on a tread or flange section of the vehicle wheel. The laser beam is believed to excite the molecules on the surface of the wheel in such a way that magnetic susceptibility is significantly increased. The increased magnetic susceptibility facilitates encoding of a magnetic signal by a magnetic encoding head. This magnetic signal may then be received after further rotation of the wheel by an angularly displaced magnetic receiving head. Processing circuitry is electrically connected to the magnetic encoding head and the magnetic receiving head to derive the speed reference based on the angular velocity and dimensions of the wheel.

Abstract: A coded railway track circuit apparatus is disclosed having the capability of operating during periods of low vehicle activity in a reduced power standby mode. This is accomplished by switching circuitry which interrupts power to most of the components within the track circuit apparatus in response to the recognition by standby initiation circuitry of a preselected standby initiation signal. Power to fail-over indicators which would normally be activated due to a power failure is also interrupted by fail-over interrupt circuitry. During the standby mode, monitor circuitry remains active to recognize occurrence of a preselected wake-up signal. When the wake-up signal is received, full power is restored, thus resuming normal operation. Operation of the fail-over systems is also then re-established.

Abstract: A system is disclosed to selectively initiate braking at a rear section of a railway train upon initiation of a selected front braking condition at the front section of the railway vehicle. The system utilizes an air sensor preferably constructed in the form of an insect excluder device to detect release of brake pipe air from an exhaust port upon initiation of braking at the front section of the vehicle. An appropriate signal is produced by the air sensor, thus permitting detector circuitry to detect that front braking has been initiated. A transmitter, typically located in the cab of the locomotive, is electrically connected to the detector circuitry. When the detector circuitry indicates that the selected front braking condition has been initiated, the transmitter transmits a brake initiation signal to a receiver located at the rear of the vehicle. The receiver then actuates pneumatic braking equipment at the rear to initiate rear braking.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for supplying cab signal to a rail vehicle on a section of track composed of sequentially adjacent railway track circuit blocks. Respective receivers of each track circuit block are monitored for the presence of a vehicle within that block. The cab signal apparatus is controlled to transmit a signal to a block when the output from the respective receiver in that block indicates a different condition from the adjacent receiver of an adjacent block. Output voltages from adjacent receivers are compared to enable transmission of a cab signal. Comparison of adjacent receiver outputs is accomplished through use of a diode bridge.

Abstract: A virtual block system is provided in which a section of track is represented by a zone having a plurality of virtual track circuits. Communication between wayside and the vehicle is established within the zone, and may be used to provide the initial position of the vehicle to the carborne equipment. The carborne equipment can then calculate and up-date its position within the zone by using its initial position and sensor information relative to its movement within the zone. The actual position within the zone can be transmitted from the vehicle to the wayside equipment. The wayside equipment converts the actual position within the zone to a virtual track circuit occupancy. The wayside equipment may also use the train length to calculate one or more virtual blocks as being occupied. The wayside unit outputs the occupancy status, occupied or unoccupied, to the wayside interlocking equipment. The wayside equipment generates profile data which can be transmitted to the vehicle.

Abstract: A differential magnetic wheel detector is disclosed which identifies the presence and direction of a railway vehicle. The wheel detector includes a primary winding, a secondary winding and signal processing circuitry. The primary winding is excited by a source of AC energy to produce a magnetic flux in the wheel of the railway vehicle. The secondary winding senses a change in voltage induced by the magnetic flux in the railway wheel. The secondary winding includes two coils in a differential bridge which prevents external factors from interfering with the sensing of the wheel. The signal processing device transforms the voltage change into a signal identifying the presence and direction of the railway vehicle.

Abstract: A railway traffic control system in which accurate vehicle information is effectively available in real-time to facilitate control of traffic flow. Unlike prior art methods of precisely monitoring train location, the current invention is dependant only on equipment on-board the vehicle and position updates provided by external benchmarks located along the track route. The system's dynamic motion capabilities can also be used to sense and store track rail signatures, as a function of rail distance, which can be routinely analyzed to assist in determining rail and road-bed conditions for preventative maintenance purposes. In presently preferred embodiments, the on-board vehicle information detection equipment comprises an inertial measurement unit providing dynamic vehicle motion information to a position processor.