Abstract: A sensing system includes a leading sensor, a trailing sensor, and a route examining unit. The leading sensor is onboard a first vehicle of a vehicle system that is traveling along a route. The leading sensor measures first characteristics of the route as the vehicle system moves along the route. The trailing sensor is disposed onboard a second vehicle of the vehicle system. The trailing sensor measures second characteristics of the route as the vehicle system moves along the route. The route examining unit is disposed onboard the vehicle system and receives the first characteristics of the route and the second characteristics of the route to compare the first characteristics with the second characteristics. The route examining unit also identifies a segment of the route as being damaged based on a comparison of the first characteristics with the second characteristics.

Abstract: A method includes forming a first schedule for a first vehicle to travel in a transportation network. The first schedule includes a first arrival time of the first vehicle at a scheduled location. The method also includes receiving a first trip plan for the first vehicle from an energy management system. The first trip plan is based on the first schedule and designates at least one of tractive efforts or braking efforts to be provided by the first vehicle to reduce at least one of an amount of energy consumed by the first vehicle or an amount of emissions generated by the first vehicle when the first vehicle travels through the transportation network to the scheduled location. The method further includes determining whether to modify the first schedule to avoid interfering with movement of one or more other vehicles by examining the trip plan for the first vehicle.

Abstract: A system for controlling a railroad train over a segment of track. The system comprises a first element for determining a location of the train on the segment of track; a second element for providing track characterization information for the segment of track; the track characterization information related to physical conditions of the segment of track; and a processor for controlling applied tractive forces and braking forces of the train responsive to the location of the train and the track characterization information to reduce at least one of wheel wear and/or track wear during operation of the train over the segment of track.

Abstract: Systems and methods for examining a route inject one or more electrical examination signals into a conductive route from onboard a vehicle system traveling along the route, detect one or more electrical characteristics of the route based on the one or more electrical examination signals, apply a filter to the one or more electrical characteristics, and detect a break in conductivity of the route responsive to the one or more electrical characteristics decreasing by more than a designated drop threshold for a time period within a designated drop time period. Feature vectors may be determined for the electrical characteristics and compared to one or more patterns in order to distinguish between breaks in the conductivity of the route and other causes for changes in the electrical characteristics.

Abstract: A sensing system includes a leading sensor, a trailing sensor, and a route examining unit. The leading sensor is onboard a first vehicle of a vehicle system that is traveling along a route. The leading sensor measures first characteristics of the route as the vehicle system moves along the route. The trailing sensor is disposed onboard a second vehicle of the vehicle system. The trailing sensor measures second characteristics of the route as the vehicle system moves along the route. The route examining unit is disposed onboard the vehicle system and receives the first characteristics of the route and the second characteristics of the route to compare the first characteristics with the second characteristics. The route examining unit also identifies a segment of the route as being damaged based on a comparison of the first characteristics with the second characteristics.

Abstract: A method comprises receiving an alarm state from one or more inspection systems that inspects one or more components of a vehicle system. The method then identifies operational parameters of the vehicle system. The operational parameters represent at least one of a current location of the vehicle system, a current terrain over which the vehicle system is currently travelling, an upcoming terrain that the vehicle system is travelling toward, a current moving speed of the vehicle system, a position of one or more controls of the vehicle system, a state of a brake of the vehicle system or an identification of one or more vehicle units in the vehicle system. The method then selects and implements a mitigating action to implement from plural different mitigating actions based on the alarm state and the one or more parameters of the vehicle.

Abstract: A system includes at least one application device, a control unit, and at least one processor. The at least one application device is conductively or inductively coupled with at least one of a first conductive track or a second conductive track. The control unit is configured to control supply of electric current from a power source to the at least one application device to electrically inject at least one examination signal into the conductive tracks. The at least one processor is configured to monitor the one or more electrical characteristics of at least one of the first or second conductive tracks, and to identify a construction feature of the route based on the one or more electrical characteristics, wherein the construction feature corresponds to a man-made aspect of the route.

Abstract: A system includes at least one application device, a control unit, at least one detection device, and at least one processor configured to be disposed on-board a vehicle system. The at least one application device is configured to be at least one of conductively or inductively coupled with at least one conductive track of a route traveled by the vehicle system. The control unit is configured to control the at least one application device to electrically inject at least one examination signal into the conductive tracks. The at least one detection device is configured to detect the examination signal passing through a test loop. The at least one processor is configured to identify a failure of the vehicle to adequately shunt electrical signals between the conductive tracks based upon the examination signal detected by the at least one detection device.

Abstract: A method for vehicle control comprises determining a braking capability of a braking system of a rail vehicle or other vehicle, and modifying application of at least one mission parameter by a control system of the vehicle based on the determined braking capability. Braking capability may be determined by activating the braking system of the vehicle to apply a braking force on the vehicle, and concurrently, applying a level of tractive effort of the vehicle is sufficient to overcome the braking force. The braking capability is determined based on the level of tractive effort.

Abstract: A system includes first and second application devices, a control unit, and at least one processor. The first and second application devices are configured to be at least one of conductively or inductively coupled with one of the conductive tracks. The control unit is configured to control the first and second application devices in order to electrically inject a first examination signal into the conductive tracks via the first application device and a second examination signal into the conductive tracks via the second application device. The at least one processor is configured to monitor one or more electrical characteristics of the first and second conductive tracks in response to the first and second examination signals being injected into the conductive tracks; and to identify a type of fault based upon the one or more electrical characteristics of the first and second conductive tracks.

Abstract: A communication system includes a router transceiver unit and a bandwidth module. The router transceiver unit includes a network adapter module and a signal modulator module. The network adapter module is configured to receive high bandwidth network data from one or more data sources disposed on board a vehicle. The signal modulator module is configured for electrical connection to a wired connection, and to convert the high bandwidth network data into modulated network data in a form suitable for transmission over the wired connection. The bandwidth module is configured to allocate different portions of a data communication bandwidth of the wired connection to the modulated network data. The allocation is based on categories representing at least one of the one or more data sources or contents of the high bandwidth network data.

Abstract: A method for predicting failure of a crossing warning system is disclosed. The method includes monitoring an electrical characteristic of a first route when an electric current is injected into the first route. The first route has a crossing intersection with a second route and a crossing signal at the crossing intersection. The electrical characteristic is monitored to detect when a vehicle is approaching the crossing intersection on the first route and to determine when to activate the crossing signal at the crossing intersection. The method also includes identifying one or more changes in the electrical characteristic of the first route, and, based on the one or more changes that are identified, predicting a failure mode of the first route that interferes with detection of the vehicle approaching the crossing intersection.

Abstract: A route examination system and method automatically detect (with an identification unit onboard a vehicle having one or more processors) a location of a break in conductivity of a first route during movement of the vehicle along the first route. The system and method also identify (with the identification unit) one or more of a location of the vehicle on the first route or the first route from among several different routes based at least in part on the location of the break in the conductivity of the first route that is detected.

Abstract: A method and system for determining rail defects. The method and system receive route performance measurements from a vehicle system traveling along a route and normalize the route performance measurements based on one or more characteristics of the vehicle system. The method and a system also determine a defect for a segment of the route based at least in part on the normalized route performance measurements with respect to a threshold bandwidth corresponding to the segment. The method and system also examine velocity differences in a vehicle speed of a vehicle and the angular speed of the axles and/or wheels of the vehicle system traveling along a route to determine if the route is damaged and/or to identify the location of the potentially damaged section of the route. The differences may represent wheel creeps of the vehicle system.

Abstract: A method and system for monitoring a points machine obtains operating characteristics of the points machine that are representative of operations of the points machine during a movement event of rails at a switch. A waveform of the operating characteristics is examined to at least one of identify or predict a problem with the operations of the points machine. The waveform is examined by comparing the operating characteristics during the first movement event with at least one of: the operating characteristics obtained during a previous movement event; an expected value of the operating characteristics; or an expected duration of a moving time period during which the first rail is expected to move from or to an unlocked position.

Abstract: A wayside monitoring method and system monitor a transmitted current that is injected into conductive components of a route traveled by vehicle systems, monitor a received current that represents a portion of the transmitted current that is conducted through the conductive components of the route, examine changes in the transmitted and/or received current over time to determine when the vehicle systems are on the route between a first location where the transmitted current is injected into the conductive components and a second location where the received current is monitored, and examine the changes in the transmitted and/or received currents. The changes are examined to identify (a) a contaminated portion of a surface on which the route is disposed, (b) a foreign object other than the vehicle systems that is contacting the route, and/or (c) a damaged or broken portion of at least one of the conductive components of the route.

Abstract: A method and system for examining velocity differences in a vehicle speed of a vehicle and the angular speed of the axles and/or wheels of the vehicle system traveling along a route to determine if the route is damaged and/or to identify the location of the potentially damaged section of the route. The differences may represent wheel creeps of the vehicle system.

Abstract: A route examining system includes first and second application devices, a control unit, first and second detection units, and an identification unit. The first and second application devices are disposed onboard a vehicle traveling along a route having conductive tracks. The control unit controls injection of a first examination signal into the conductive tracks via the first application device and injection of a second examination signal into the conductive tracks via the second application device. The first and second detection units monitor electrical characteristics of the route in response to the first and second examination signals being injected into the conductive tracks. The identification unit examines the electrical characteristics of the conductive tracks in order to determine whether a section of the route is potentially damaged based on the electrical characteristics.

Abstract: A method for acoustically examining a route includes sensing passively excited residual sounds of a vehicle system during travel over a route, examining the passively excited residual sounds to identify one or more changes of interest in the passively excited residual sounds, and identifying a section of the route as being damaged responsive to the one or more changes of interest in the passively excited residual sounds that are identified.

Abstract: A method including obtaining creep measurements and tractive/braking measurements from at least one vehicle system at different locations along a route segment while the at least one vehicle system moves through the route segment. The method also includes calculating tribology characteristics of the route segment at the different locations. The tribology characteristics are based on the creep measurements and the tractive/braking measurements from the at least one vehicle system. The tribology characteristics are indicative of a friction coefficient of the route segment at the different locations. The method also includes determining an effectiveness of a friction modifier applied to the route segment based on the tribology characteristics.