Method and apparatus for determining railcar order in a train
First Claim
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1. A method of determining an order of railcars in a train behind a locomotive, wherein each of the railcars are linked to the locomotive by a pressurized brake pipe and a communication link, the method includes the steps of:
- determining a set brake pipe pressure at each of the railcars;
providing an air pressure change in the pressurized brake line to each of the railcars;
sensing a pressure change in the pressurized brake line at each of the railcars, the sensed pressure change being the difference between the set brake pipe pressure and the air pressure change;
generating responses based on the sensed pressure change at each of the railcars;
sending the generated responses to the locomotive; and
sorting the generated responses based on a time of receipt of the generated responses in order to determine the order of the railcars.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for determining railcar order in an ECP equipped train involving the inherent propagation delay of a pneumatic signal propagation in a brake air line as measured by each car and used to determine the car order in the train.
58 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method of determining an order of railcars in a train behind a locomotive, wherein each of the railcars are linked to the locomotive by a pressurized brake pipe and a communication link, the method includes the steps of:
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determining a set brake pipe pressure at each of the railcars; providing an air pressure change in the pressurized brake line to each of the railcars; sensing a pressure change in the pressurized brake line at each of the railcars, the sensed pressure change being the difference between the set brake pipe pressure and the air pressure change; generating responses based on the sensed pressure change at each of the railcars; sending the generated responses to the locomotive; and sorting the generated responses based on a time of receipt of the generated responses in order to determine the order of the railcars. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus for determining an order of railcars in a train, the apparatus comprising:
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means for electronic communication between a locomotive and the railcars; means for pneumatic communication between the locomotive and the railcars, means for determining a set brake pipe pressure at each of the railcars; means for providing an air pressure change to the railcars via the pneumatic communication means; means for generating responses via the electronic communication means based on a detected change in air pressure at the railcars, the detected change in air pressure being a difference between the set brake pipe pressure and the air pressure change; and means for determining a railcar order based on a time receipt of generated responses. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification