Abstract: A brake pipe overcharge detection scheme determines when an overcharge situation occurs followed by an interruption of the brake pipe slow pressure reduction process of the brake system assimilation. When the slow pressure reduction process is interrupted, the rail cars may be left in an overcharged state (i.e., the car braking system is charged to a pressure greater than the normal brake pipe pressure). When the brake pipe pressure is set to its normal brake-release value, the pressure of the car braking systems will be greater than the brake pipe pressure. The car braking system will interpret this positive pressure differential as a request to set the car brakes, and will therefore partially apply the car brakes. As a result, additional drag forces will be encountered by the locomotive as it moves the train, which may result in train separations, and overheating of the car brake shoes and wheels may result in cracked wheels and derailments.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for compensating for transient effects in pneumatically operated air brake system for a railway vehicle. A look up table or experimentally determined second order correction values is stored in a memory. Based on the magnitude of a previous application of the brakes, a correction value is selected from the look up table having a magnitude to compensate for transient errors in the system. The correction value is then diminished by fixed decrements at fixed intervals. Upon a subsequent application of the brakes, the diminished correction value is used to adjust the pressure communicated to braking mechanisms located on the train cars.

Abstract: A radio communication control system for a lead unit and a plurality of remote units is disclosed. The system has a protocol for establishing a communication link between the lead unit and the one or more remote units in the system which prevents any of the units in that system from processing messages or commands from other units in other train systems or processing messages or commands originating from units within a train system which are addressed to other units within the system. The communication system also includes a communications channel contention system for minimizing the probability of multiple units transmitting on the common communication channel at the same time and for insuring that the highest priority communications in each train are transmitted first in time measured from the end of the latest transmission on the radio communications channel.

Abstract: An adaptive brake control system monitors a plurality of brake pipe/air line parameters, such as fluid path volume and air flow rate, and controllably modifies action taken by the engineman or performs emergency control of the brakes, in order to continuously enable the brake system to adapt itself to dynamic operating conditions and anomalies in the integrity of the fluid path. In accordance with a pressure reduction modification mechanism, the application of a pressure reduction to the equalizing reservoir is precisely controlled by taking into account the actual state of the brake pipe, so as to ensure that the requested brake application is effected as intended. The control mechanism also monitors the integrity of the fluid flow path of the brake pipe/train air line, so that the engineman may be alerted and a prescribed train safety measure may be effected in the event of a potentially hazardous anomaly in the link.

Abstract: An adaptive brake control system monitors a plurality of brake pipe/air line parameters, such as fluid path volume and air flow rate, and controllably modifies action taken by the engineman or performs emergency control of the brakes, in order to continuously enable the braking system to adapt itself to dynamic operating conditions and anomalies in the integrity of the fluid path. In accordance with a pressure reduction modification mechanism, the application of a pressure reduction to the equalizing reservoir is precisely controlled by taking into account the actual state of the brakepipe, so as to ensure that the requested brake application is effected as intended. The control mechanism also monitors the integrity of the fluid flow path of the brake pipe/train air line, so that the engineman may be alerted and a prescribed train safety measure may be effected in the event of a potentially hazardous anomaly in the link.

Abstract: A radio communication control system for a lead unit and a plurality of remote units is disclosed. The system has a protocol for establishing a communication link between the lead unit and the one or more remote units in the system which prevents any of the units in that system from processing messages or commands from other units in other train systems or processing messages or commands originating from units within a train system which are addressed to other units within the system. The communication system also includes a communications channel contention system for minimizing the probability of multiple units transmitting on the common communication channel at the same time and for insuring that the highest priority communications in each train are transmitted first in time measured from the end of the latest transmission on the radio communications channel.

Abstract: A radio communication control system for a lead unit and a plurality of remote units is disclosed. The system has a protocol for establishing a communication link between the lead unit and the one or more remote units in the system which prevents any of the units in that system from processing messages or commands from other units in other train systems or processing messages or commands originating from units within a train system which are addressed to other units within the system. The communication system also includes a communications channel contention system for minimizing the probability of multiple units transmitting on the common communication channel at the same time and for insuring that the highest priority communications in each train are transmitted first in time measured from the end of the latest transmission on the radio communications channel.

Abstract: A system for monitoring the performance of an internal combustion engine includes a pressure sensor that has a mounting configuration external to the cylinders such that it is capable of monitoring the pressures within two adjacent cylinders. The signal output of the sensor is filtered to remove undesired engine noise and blank out those signals which are unrelated to compression and firing, thereby reducing errors in the signal output. After filtering the signals to reduce noise, a successive number of samples related to compression and firing are obtained to provide an adequate number of signals which will average out mechanical and electrical noise. From the successive samples, a straight line approximation of the slope of the cylinder pressure curve, relative to crank angle, is obtained. The derived slope values are compared with upper and lower limits to determine whether or not the pressure within the engine cylinder of interest is acceptable.