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: A method and apparatus for determining railcar order in an ECP equipped train involving the inherent propagation delay of a pneumatic signal propagation in a brake air line as measured by each car and used to determine the car order in the train.