Abstract: A portable computer system and method of operating a vehicle using the portable computer system in a communication-based train control (CBTC) system territory is provided. The portable computer system includes a sensor and a transceiver that is communicatively coupled to the sensor and to the CBTC system, wherein the portable computer system configured to be removably coupled to the vehicle. The method includes verifying that the vehicle is operating with one of a non-operational CBTC computer system and a non-CBTC computer system, and removably coupling a portable computer system including at least one sensor and a transceiver that is communicatively coupled to the sensor to the vehicle such that the transceiver is coupled in communication with the CBTC system.

Abstract: A portable computer system and method of operating a vehicle using the portable computer system in a communication-based train control (CBTC) system territory is provided. The portable computer system includes a sensor and a transceiver that is communicatively coupled to the sensor and to the CBTC system, wherein the portable computer system configured to be removably coupled to the vehicle. The method includes verifying that the vehicle is operating with one of a non-operational CBTC computer system and a non-CBTC computer system, and removably coupling a portable computer system including at least one sensor and a transceiver that is communicatively coupled to the sensor to the vehicle such that the transceiver is coupled in communication with the CBTC system.

Abstract: A method for determining an integrity of a train is provided. The method includes coupling at least one head-of-train device to the train. The head-of-train device includes at least one first radio. The method also includes coupling at least one end-of-train device to the train. The end-of-train device includes at least one second radio. The method also includes communicating between the first and second radios using radio-ranging to determine a length of the train, and determining the integrity of the train based on the length of the train.

Abstract: A method and computer program product are provided for monitoring integrity of a railroad train and determining passage of the train relative to a plurality of virtual blocks defined by wireless transmissions along a section of track over which the train travels. The virtual blocks provide safeguards for the travel of the train relative to other trains on the section of the track when there is a shared use of the section of track. In aspects thereof, the method allows collecting data useful for evaluating conditions that may affect train integrity from at least one sensing device at a end of train location. The method further allows collecting data at a head-of-train location, with the data collected at the head-of-train corresponding to the type of data collected at the end-of-train location. The data collected at the end-of-train and at the head-of train location is processed to determine whether the entire train has cleared a respective one of the virtual blocks.

Abstract: A method and computer program product are provided for monitoring integrity of a railroad train and determining passage of the train relative to a plurality of virtual blocks defined by wireless transmissions along a section of track over which the train travels. The virtual blocks provide safeguards for the travel of the train relative to other trains on the section of the track when there is a shared use of the section of track. In aspects thereof, the method allows collecting data useful for evaluating conditions that may affect train integrity from at least one sensing device at a end of train location. The method further allows collecting data at a head-of-train location, with the data collected at the head-of-train corresponding to the type of data collected at the end-of-train location. The data collected at the end-of-train and at the head-of train location is processed to determine whether the entire train has cleared a respective one of the virtual blocks.

Abstract: A differential GPS landing system having at least three GPS receivers at known locations in spatial proximity to each other, wherein each GPS receiver independently receives GPS signals from the plurality of GPS satellites and at least three reference stations, wherein each reference station receives a signal from a different two of the at least three GPS receivers and calculates two separate differential corrections for each satellite, wherein each differential correction is independently calculated using the signals received from a different one of the two GPS receivers. The reference stations preferably average the two calculated differential corrections for each satellite to produce an averaged differential correction for each satellite.