DETECTION OF DYNAMIC TRAIN-TO-RAIL SHUNTING PERFORMANCE

• US 20160257320A1
• Filed: 03/02/2015
• Published: 09/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Mobility, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Harp, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 9,956,972 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 1/20 Safety arrangements for preventing or indicating malfunction of the device, e.g. by leakage current, by lightning
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 13/002 actuated by the passage of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 13/005 optically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 13/04 using electrical or magnetic interaction between vehicle and track , e.g. by conductor circuits using special means or special conductors
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/041 Obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/53 for trackside elements or systems, e.g. trackside supervision of trackside control system conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/57 for vehicles or trains, e.g. trackside supervision of train conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 29/226 using track-circuits, closed or short-circuited by train or using isolated rail-sections

Abstract

Systems and methods for detecting the dynamic train-to-rail shunting performance of a train as it is moving along the rails of a railroad track. The systems and methods use portable equipment temporarily installed at a site where it is desired to test the shunting of one or more trains or the electrical equipment installed at the track. The systems and method use sensor plates and a high speed recording system to simultaneously capture measured train-to-rail shunting characteristics and the positioning of a train'"'"'s axles and any rail conditions impacting the measurements. The captured information can be used to fine tune the train, the electrical equipment installed at the track and/or to design new devices.

Claims

1. A method of determining a characteristic associated with a train traveling on a railroad track, said method comprising:

capturing images of a portion of a train as the train is traveling over first and second sensor plates respectively installed on first and second rails of the track; and

simultaneously capturing measurements of the characteristic as the train is traveling over the first and second sensor plates.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic comprises a train-to-rail shunt impedance.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the train comprises the train'"'"'s axles.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the capturing steps are performed for an entire period that the train is traveling over the first and second sensor plates.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising analyzing the characteristic'"'"'s performance over the period by correlating the measurements to positions of the portion of the train over the first and second rails.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the analyzing step also accounts for a condition of the track or operating condition of the train.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying one of operating conditions of the train or track conditions; and

repeating the capturing steps using the modified operating conditions of the train or track conditions.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the captured images and the simultaneously captured measurements are correlated and used to fine tune a crossing warning time device connected to the track.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the captured images and the simultaneously captured measurements are correlated and used to fine tune a shunting characteristic of the train.

10. A railroad system comprising:

a first sensor plate connected to a top portion of a first rail of a railroad track;

a second sensor plate connected to a top portion of a second rail of the railroad track, the second sensor plate being located across from the first sensor plate;

a measurement device adapted to measure a characteristic associated with a train traveling over the first and second sensor plates; and

a capturing system configured to capture images of a portion of the train as the train is traveling over the first and second sensor plates and simultaneously capture measurements of the characteristic as the train is traveling over the first and second sensor plates.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the characteristic comprises a train-to-rail shunt impedance.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the portion of the train comprises the train'"'"'s axles.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the capturing system is configured to capture the images and the measurement for an entire period that the train is traveling over the first and second sensor plates.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a device for displaying the captured images and measurements so that the characteristic'"'"'s performance can be analyzed over the period by correlating the measurements to positions of the portion of the train over the first and second rails.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the capturing system comprises:

a first digital camera adapted to capture images of the portion of the train; and

a second digital camera adapted to capture measurements of the characteristic.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the measurement device comprises a recording ohmmeter.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the capturing system comprises:

a first digital camera adapted to capture images of the portion of the train; and

a device coupled to the recording meter and being adapted to capture the measurements from the ohmmeter.