SYSTEM, METHOD, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEMORY MEDIUM FOR REMOTELY CONTROLLING THE MOVEMENT OF A SERIES OF CONNECTED VEHICLES

• US 20090312890A1
• Filed: 06/16/2008
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Evans, Jay
• Granted Patent: US 8,380,361 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 17/00 Switching systems for classification yards
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 3/127 for remote control of locomotives remote control of locomotives within a train consist B61C17/12

Abstract

A remote control system for controlling movement of a train comprises one or more sensors positioned relative to a railroad track for detecting the presence of a lead railcar on the track being pushed by a remotely controllable locomotive. The one or more sensors are spaced a distance from a predetermined stop location of a lead railcar and transmit signals when the lead railcar is detected on the track. A programmable controller positioned off-board or wayside receives signals from the one or more sensors and is in radio communication with an onboard operating system of the locomotive. The controller transmits a signal to the locomotive when the lead railcar is detected by a sensor, and in response to the signal the operating system of the locomotive sets a maximum speed setting for the locomotive to travel on the track toward the stop location.

Claims

1. A remote control system for controlling the movement of a series of connected vehicles that travel along a designated pathway, one of said vehicles being a powered vehicle for moving the series of vehicles, said system comprising:

at least one sensor positioned relative to the pathway for detecting the presence of a lead vehicle on the pathway, and the at least one sensor is spaced a distance from a stop location of the lead vehicle, and transmits at least one signal when the lead vehicle is detected on the pathway; and

,

a controller for receiving signals from the sensor and in communication with an onboard operating system of the powered vehicle, and the controller transmits a signal to the powered vehicle when the lead vehicle is detected by the sensor, and in response to the signal the operating system of the powered vehicle sets a maximum speed setting for the powered vehicle to travel on the pathway toward the stop location.

2. The remote control system of claim 1, wherein the powered vehicle is pulling the other vehicles and the powered vehicle is the lead vehicle.

3. The remote control system of claim 1, wherein the powered vehicle is pushing the other vehicles and the lead vehicle is a vehicle disposed at a distal end of the series of vehicles relative the powered vehicle.

4. The remote control system of claim 1, wherein the operating system on the powered vehicle is configured to command the powered vehicle to stop so the lead vehicle is stopped a distance from the stop location when it receives the signal from the controller and the lead vehicle cannot exceed the maximum speed setting traveling from the point where the lead vehicle stops toward the stop location.

5. The remote control system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sensors positioned relative to the pathway for detecting the presence of a vehicle in the series of vehicles on the pathway being moved by the remotely controllable powered vehicle, and the sensors are spaced apart from one another, and each sensor is positioned a distance from the stop location of the lead vehicle, and each sensor transmits a signal to the controller when the lead vehicle is detected on the pathway.

6. The remote control system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of sensors includes at least a first sensor and at least a second sensor, wherein the first sensor is spaced a distance from the stop location and the second sensor is positioned between the first sensor and the stop location, and the onboard operating system sets a first maximum speed setting when the first sensor detects the lead vehicle on the pathway and reduces maximum speed setting of the powered vehicle when the second sensor detects the lead vehicle on the pathway.

7. The remote control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is a component of an off-board remote control unit having an operator interface including an input mechanism to activate the controller to provide the maximum speed settings when the sensor detects the lead vehicle on the pathway and the onboard operating system is configured not to respond to commands to exceed the maximum speed settings from the remote control unit.

8. The remote control system of claim 7, wherein the operating system of the powered vehicle is configured not to respond to commands to exceed the maximum speed settings from the remote control unit when the powered vehicle is moving in a first direction and is configured to respond to commands to exceed the maximum speed setting when the powered vehicle moving in a second direction.

9. The remote control system of claim 1, further wherein the controller is positioned wayside the pathway as a component separate from a remote control unit an operator uses to control movement of the powered vehicle on the pathway, and the onboard operating system is configured not to respond to commands to exceed the maximum speed settings from the remote control unit.

10. The remote control system of claim 9, wherein the operating system of the powered vehicle is configured not to respond to commands to exceed the maximum speed settings from the remote control unit when the powered vehicle is moving in a first direction and is configured to respond to commands to exceed the maximum speed setting when the powered vehicle moving in a second direction.

11. The remote control system of claim 1, wherein the operating system of the powered vehicle accesses data relative to an identification of the pathway and data relative to one or more maximum speed settings associated with one or more distances the lead vehicle is spaced from the stop location.

12. The remote control system of claim 11, wherein the operating system accesses data relative to a location the lead vehicle is stopped a distance from the stop location and at least one maximum speed setting for the powered vehicle to travel toward the stop location.

13. The remote control system of claim 1, wherein in the powered vehicle is a locomotive and the other vehicles are a plurality of railcars linked together and to the locomotive, and the pathway is a railroad track.

14. The remote control system of claim 13, wherein the locomotive is pushing the railcars and the lead vehicle is a railcar disposed at a distal end of the series of railcars relative to the locomotive.

15. A method for controlling the movement of a train including at least one locomotive pushing a plurality of railcars wherein the railcars include a lead railcar linked at an end of the railcars distal the locomotive and the locomotive having an onboard operating system, the method comprising:

detecting the presence of a lead railcar on the track being pushed by the remotely controllable locomotive a predetermined distance from a stop location of the lead railcar; and

,

setting a maximum speed setting of the locomotive, responsive to a signal transmitted from a controller off-board the locomotive, for pushing the railcars on the track for the distance from the location the lead railcar is detected on the track to the stop location.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising detecting the lead railcar at a plurality of different locations on the track and each location is spaced a predetermined distance from the stop location, and setting a maximum speed setting of the locomotive each time the lead railcar is detected on the track in response to a signal transmitted from the controller to the locomotive.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the detecting step comprises detecting the lead railcar at a first location that is a first predetermined distance from the stop location, and detecting the lead railcar at a second location that is a second predetermined distance from the stop location and the second predetermined distance is shorter than the first predetermined distance, and setting a first maximum speed setting for the locomotive for traveling on the track from the first location to the second location, and setting a second maximum speed setting that is less the first maximum speed setting after detecting the lead railcar at the second location.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising stopping the locomotive to stop a predetermined distance from the stop location in response to the signal transmitted from the controller when the lead railcar is detected on the track.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a remote control unit for controlling movement of the train on the track, wherein the remote control unit has a controller that is configured to control movement of the locomotive when the locomotive is pushing and pulling the railcars, and the locomotive cannot exceed the maximum speed settings when the locomotive is pushing the railcars responsive to commands from the remote control unit.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the remote control unit is configured to control the locomotive to exceed the maximum speed settings when the locomotive is pulling the railcars away from the stop location.

21. A computer readable memory medium that stores a program for controlling the movement of a train including at least one locomotive pushing a plurality of railcars, wherein the railcars include a lead railcar linked at an end of the railcars distal the locomotive and the locomotive having an onboard operating system, the program comprising:

a computer module for detecting the presence of a lead railcar on the track being pushed by a remotely controllable locomotive a predetermined distance from a stop location of the lead railcar; and

,

a computer module for setting a maximum speed setting of the locomotive, responsive to a signal transmitted from a controller off-board the locomotive, for pushing the railcars on the track for the distance from the location the lead railcar is detected on the track to the stop location.

22. The computer readable memory medium of claim 21, further comprising one or more computer modules for detecting the lead railcar at a plurality of different locations on the track and each location is spaced a predetermined distance from the stop location, and setting a maximum speed setting of the locomotive each time the lead railcar is detected on the track in response to a signal transmitted from the controller to the locomotive.

23. The computer readable memory medium of claim 22, wherein the computer module for detecting comprises one or computer modules for detecting the lead railcar at a first location that is a first predetermined distance from the stop location, for detecting the lead railcar at a second location that is a second predetermined distance from the stop location and the second predetermined distance is shorter than the first predetermined distance, and for providing a first maximum speed setting for the locomotive for traveling on the track from the first location to the second location, and for providing a second maximum speed setting that is less the first maximum speed setting after detecting the lead railcar at the second location.

24. The computer readable memory medium of claim 21, further comprising a computer module for stopping the locomotive at a predetermined distance from the stop location in response to the signal transmitted from the controller when the lead railcar is detected on the track.

25. The computer readable memory medium of claim 21, further comprising one or more computer modules for controlling a remote control unit, said remote control unit having a controller that is configured to control movement of the locomotive when the locomotive is pushing and pulling the railcars, said one or more computer modules for controlling the remote control unit including instructions that when executed by the controller of the remote control prevent the locomotive from exceeding the maximum speed settings when the locomotive is pushing the railcars responsive to commands from the remote control unit.

26. The computer readable memory medium of claim 25, further comprising a computer module that includes instructions that when executed by the controller of the remote control unit enable the locomotive to exceed the maximum speed settings when the locomotive is pulling the railcars away from the stop location.