Abstract: A vehicle and method of operating the vehicle that is operationally non-disruptive to one or more other rail vehicles or equipment of a railroad. The vehicle including a frame, drive wheels, and articulatable arms. The articulatable arms extend from the frame and supporting the drive wheels. The articulatable arms are selectively transitionable between first orientations and second orientations, and the drive wheels are engageable with rails that are configured to support the rail vehicle having wheel pairs. In the first orientations the drive wheels engage with the rails to support the frame, and in the second orientations the drive wheels disengage from the rails.

Abstract: A method is provided that can include activating at least two wireless communication channels in parallel, between a first wireless transceiver and a second wireless transceiver. Each of the at least two wireless communication channels can operate at a different radio carrier frequency, and the first wireless transceiver may be part of a first vehicle. The method can also include transmitting, by the first wireless transceiver, common information in parallel on the at least two wireless communication channels to the second wireless transceiver and deactivating the at least two wireless communication channels.

Abstract: A vehicle system is provided that has an unoccupied control vehicle with no onboard driver. The control vehicle has a first propulsion system that can propel the control vehicle along a route, and optionally to stop or slow the control vehicle. One or more onboard power sources that can generate, store or both generate and store energy for powering at least the first propulsion system. A controller having one or more processors can autonomously control the propulsion system to move the control vehicle along one or more routes, and to interface with and couple to a driver-operable vehicle that has a second propulsion system. The controller can obtain control over the second propulsion system when the control vehicle is interfaced and coupled with the driver-operable vehicle.

Abstract: An elevated target amount of electrolyte is used to initially fill a molten carbonate fuel cell that is operated under carbon capture conditions. The increased target electrolyte fill level can be achieved in part by adding additional electrolyte to the cathode collector prior to start of operation. The increased target electrolyte fill level can provide improved fuel cell performance and lifetime when operating a molten carbonate fuel cell at high current density with a low-CO2 content cathode input stream and/or when operating a molten carbonate fuel cell at high CO2 utilization.

Abstract: An asset identification and tracking system includes one or more monitoring units configured to monitor at least one designated area. Each of the monitoring units includes an imaging device and one or more processors. The imaging device is configured to generate image data depicting one or more mobile assets that move through the at least one designated area. The one or more processors are operably coupled to the imaging device and configured to analyze the image data to detect and decipher one or more identifiers that are displayed on a particular mobile asset of the one or more mobile assets that move through the at least one designated area. The one or more processors are further configured to generate a detection message that includes the one or more identifiers for communication to an asset control system.

Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a controller to receive a current commanded speed, determine a current moving speed, and calculate a reference shaped speed to operate a propulsion system and/or a brake system to cause the current moving speed to approach the current commanded speed. The reference speed is based on a reference shaping model that changes the reference speed based on relative values of the current commanded speed, a previous commanded speed, the current moving speed, and a previous reference shaped speed. The controller controls the propulsion system and/or the brake system to cause the vehicle system to move at the calculated reference shaped speed. A method includes receiving a current commanded speed, determining a current moving speed, calculating a reference shaped speed, and controlling the one or more of the propulsion system or the brake system to cause the vehicle system to move at the reference shaped speed.

Abstract: An asset identification and tracking system includes one or more monitoring units configured to monitor at least one designated area. Each of the monitoring units includes an imaging device and one or more processors. The imaging device is configured to generate image data depicting one or more mobile assets that move through the at least one designated area. The one or more processors are operably coupled to the imaging device and configured to analyze the image data to detect and decipher one or more identifiers that are displayed on a particular mobile asset of the one or more mobile assets that move through the at least one designated area. The one or more processors are further configured to generate a detection message that includes the one or more identifiers for communication to an asset control system.

Abstract: A vehicle control system and method includes obtaining a size of a vehicle system, identifying locations of different portions of the vehicle system, and determining one or more of a) whether the vehicle system is disposed within or across an intersection of routes or b) a predicted time of arrival at which the vehicle system will be disposed within or across the intersection based on the size of the vehicle system and the locations of the different portions of the vehicle system.

Abstract: A method includes applying a brake system of a multi-vehicle system using an onboard controller device and receiving grade input at the onboard controller device from a remote controller device. The grade input indicates a grade of a surface on which the multi-vehicle system is disposed. The method further includes starting movement responsive to receiving a speed command signal at the onboard controller device from the remote controller device. The movement started by initiating release of the brake system and/or generating tractive effort from a propulsion system of the multi-vehicle system stretches the multi-vehicle system. The method further includes, responsive to the movement reaching a designated speed, switching to a closed loop control process of controlling the movement based on one or more of the speed command signal or a brake command signal received at the onboard controller device from the remote controller device.

Abstract: An elevated target amount of electrolyte is used to initially fill a molten carbonate fuel cell that is operated under carbon capture conditions. The increased target electrolyte fill level can be achieved in part by adding additional electrolyte to the cathode collector prior to start of operation. The increased target electrolyte fill level can provide improved fuel cell performance and lifetime when operating a molten carbonate fuel cell at high current density with a low-CO2 content cathode input stream and/or when operating a molten carbonate fuel cell at high CO2 utilization.

Abstract: An elevated target amount of electrolyte is used to initially fill a molten carbonate fuel cell that is operated under carbon capture conditions. The increased target electrolyte fill level can be achieved in part by adding additional electrolyte to the cathode collector prior to start of operation. The increased target electrolyte fill level can provide improved fuel cell performance and lifetime when operating a molten carbonate fuel cell at high current density with a low-CO2 content cathode input stream and/or when operating a molten carbonate fuel cell at high CO2 utilization.

Abstract: An elevated target amount of electrolyte is used to initially fill a molten carbonate fuel cell that is operated under carbon capture conditions. The increased target electrolyte fill level can be achieved in part by adding additional electrolyte to the cathode collector prior to start of operation. The increased target electrolyte fill level can provide improved fuel cell performance and lifetime when operating a molten carbonate fuel cell at high current density with a low-CO2 content cathode input stream and/or when operating a molten carbonate fuel cell at high CO2 utilization.

Abstract: An asset identification and tracking system includes one or more monitoring units configured to monitor at least one designated area. Each of the monitoring units includes an imaging device and one or more processors. The imaging device is configured to generate image data depicting one or more mobile assets that move through the at least one designated area. The one or more processors are operably coupled to the imaging device and configured to analyze the image data to detect and decipher one or more identifiers that are displayed on a particular mobile asset of the one or more mobile assets that move through the at least one designated area. The one or more processors are further configured to generate a detection message that includes the one or more identifiers for communication to an asset control system.

Abstract: A vehicle control system and method determine that a vehicle moving in a manned operative state is approaching a defined zone. The vehicle is controlled based on manual input received from an operator onboard the vehicle while in the manned operative state. The system and method also switch the vehicle from the manned operative state to an unmanned operative state responsive to the vehicle approaching the defined zone and the operator disembarking from the vehicle. The movement of the vehicle is controlled in the unmanned operative state of the vehicle during travel of the vehicle inside the defined zone. The vehicle is autonomously controlled or remotely controlled while in the unmanned operative state.

Abstract: An infrastructure detection and monitoring system includes a remote data storage system that receives and communicates sensor data and signals regarding infrastructure health. The remote data storage system processes and/or stores at least a first sensor data portion and generates advisory signals based on the first sensor data portion. The advisory signals are communicated to a receiver device responsive to the sensor data indicating that the health of the infrastructure indicates imminent failure. Additionally or alternatively, the receiver device can generate one or more control signals responsive to the advisory signals or responsive to the sensor data indicating that the heath of the infrastructure indicates imminent failure of the infrastructure.

Abstract: An asset identification and tracking system includes one or more monitoring units configured to monitor at least one designated area. Each of the monitoring units includes an imaging device and one or more processors. The imaging device is configured to generate image data depicting one or more mobile assets that move through the at least one designated area. The one or more processors are operably coupled to the imaging device and configured to analyze the image data to detect and decipher one or more identifiers that are displayed on a particular mobile asset of the one or more mobile assets that move through the at least one designated area. The one or more processors are further configured to generate a detection message that includes the one or more identifiers for communication to an asset control system.