Geometric track and track/vehicle analyzers and methods for controlling railroad systems

• US 6,681,160 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2002
• Issued: 01/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Andian Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Andian Technologies Ltd.
• Inventors: Bidaud, Andre C.
• Primary Examiner(s): GIBSON, ERIC M
• Application Number:
  US10/073,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20020077733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 701/19, 731/46
• US Class Current: 701/19
• CPC Class Codes: B61K 9/08 Measuring installations for surveying permanent way applications of measuring apparatus or devices for track building purposes E01B35/00; measuring techniques G01
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2205/04 Satellite based navigation systems, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/047 Track or rail movements
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/53 for trackside elements or systems, e.g. trackside supervision of trackside control system conditions

Abstract

Track and track/vehicle analyzers for determining geometric parameters of tracks, determining the relation of tracks to vehicles and trains, analyzing the parameters in real-time, and communicating corrective measures to various control mechanisms are provided. In one embodiment, the track analyzer includes a track detector and a computing device. In another embodiment, the track/vehicle analyzer includes a track detector, a vehicle detector, and a computing device. In other embodiments, the track/vehicle detector also includes a communications device for communicating with locomotive control computers in lead units, locomotive control computers in helper units, and a centralized control office. Additionally, a method for determining and communicating an optimized control strategy is provided. A method for dynamically modeling vehicle behavior, determining probabilities for derailment, and communicating recommended actions is also provided. The analyzers improve operational safety and overall efficiency, including fuel efficiency, vehicle wheel wear, and track wear, in railroad systems.

Claims

1. A track/vehicle analyzer included on a vehicle traveling on a track, the track/vehicle analyzer comprising:

a track detector for determining track parameters comprising at least one parameter of a group including a grade of the track, a superelevation of the track, a gauge of the track, and a curvature of the track;

a vehicle detector for determining vehicle parameters comprising at least one parameter of a group including a speed of the vehicle relative to the track, a distance the vehicle has traveled on the track, forces on a drawbar of the vehicle, a set of global positioning system coordinates for the vehicle, and a set of orthogonal accelerations experienced by the vehicle;

a computing device, communicating with the track detector and vehicle detector, for a) determining a plurality of calculated parameters as a function of the track parameters and the vehicle parameters, b) determining in real-time if the track parameters, the vehicle parameters, and the calculated parameters are within acceptable tolerances, and c) if any one of the track parameters, the vehicle parameters, or the calculated parameters are not within acceptable tolerances, generating corrective measures; and

a communications device in communication with the computing device for communicating the corrective measures to a first locomotive control computer in a lead unit associated with the vehicle.

2. The track/vehicle analyzer set forth in claim 1 wherein the calculated parameters include a balance speed parameter for the vehicle and the computing device is also for determining in real-time if the track parameters, the vehicle parameters, and the calculated parameters associated with the balance speed parameter are within acceptable tolerances associated with the calculated balance speed parameter, and c) if any one of the track parameters, the vehicle parameters, or the calculated parameters associated with the balance speed parameter are not within acceptable tolerances associated with the balance speed parameter, determining a first optimized control strategy for the vehicle.

3. The track/vehicle analyzer set forth in claim 2 wherein the communications device is also for communicating the first optimized control strategy, the track parameters, the vehicle parameters, and the calculated parameters to the first locomotive control computer so that the first locomotive control computer can alter a current control strategy to promote operational safety and overall efficiency, including fuel efficiency, minimizing vehicle wheel wear, and minimizing track wear.

4. The track/vehicle analyzer set forth in claim 3 wherein the communications device receives feedback from the first locomotive control computer, including engine performance parameters and fuel consumption information, after the first locomotive control computer determines required alterations to the current drive control strategy based on any one or more of the first optimized control strategy, the track parameters, the vehicle parameters, and the calculated parameters.

5. The track/vehicle analyzer set forth in claim 4 wherein the computing device compares the feedback from the first locomotive control computer to any one or more of the first optimized control strategy, the track parameters, the vehicle parameters, and the calculated parameters to determine a second optimized control strategy and the communications device communicates the second optimized control strategy to the first locomotive control computer so that the first locomotive control computer can modify the control strategy alterations to further promote operational safety and overall efficiency, including fuel efficiency, further minimizing vehicle wheel wear, and further minimizing track wear.

6. The track/vehicle analyzer set forth in claim 1, the vehicle detector further comprising:

a force determiner for determining the forces on the drawbar of the vehicle.

7. The track/vehicle analyzer set forth in claim 6 wherein the communications device communicates the corrective measures to a second locomotive control computer in a helper unit of a train associated with the vehicle so that the second locomotive control computer can alter a current control strategy to promote operational safety and overall efficiency, including fuel efficiency, minimizing vehicle wheel wear, and minimizing track wear.

8. The track/vehicle analyzer set forth in claim 1 wherein the communications device communicates the corrective measures to a centralized control office thereby notifying the office that a defect has been detected in a portion of the track and providing the track parameters, the vehicle parameters, and the calculated parameters associated with the defective portion of the track so that the office can determine an appropriate action to be taken and maintain historical records of track defects.

9. The track/vehicle analyzer set forth in claim 8 wherein the communications device receives orders from the centralized control office after the office determines the appropriate action to be taken in response to the notice that the defect was detected.

10. The track/vehicle analyzer set forth in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a first vehicle and is associated with a train or traveling on the track as an individual vehicle, the track/vehicle analyzer further including:

a look-up table, communicating with the computing device, for storing at least one of a group including a train manifest associated with the train, a plurality of physical characteristics for each vehicle, and a plurality of operating characteristics for each vehicle over a range of operational situations.

11. The track/vehicle analyzer set forth in claim 10, wherein the communications device receives at least one of a group including the train manifest, the plurality of physical characteristics for each vehicle, and the plurality of operating characteristics over a range of operational situations from a centralized control office for storage in the look-up table.

12. The track/vehicle analyzer set forth in claim 10 wherein the communications device is also for communicating with an upcoming track feature including a feature selected from a group including a track switch and a track crossing to determine the condition of the feature.

13. The track/vehicle analyzer set forth in claim 12 wherein the computing device a) dynamically models a behavior of each vehicle based on any one or more of the track parameters, the vehicle parameters, the calculated parameters, the train manifest, the plurality of physical characteristics, the plurality of operating characteristics, and the condition of upcoming track features, b) identifies a vehicle with the highest statistical probability for a derailment under the track parameters for portions of the track currently being traveled, c) determines if the highest statistical probability exceeds a minimum acceptable probability, and d) if the highest statistical probability exceeds the minimum acceptable probability, determines a recommended course of action, including an optimized control strategy, to reduce the probability of derailment.

14. The track/vehicle analyzer set forth in claim 13, further including:

a video display device communicating with the computing device, the computing device displaying the recommended course of action on the video display device for use by an operator associated with the first vehicle.

15. The track/vehicle analyzer set forth in claim 13 wherein the communications device communicates the recommended course of action to a locomotive control computer associated with the first vehicle so that the locomotive control computer can alter a current control strategy to reduce the probability of derailment.

16. The track/vehicle analyzer set forth in claim 15 wherein the computing device determines that the vehicle with the highest probability for derailment has passed a portion of the track associated with the previous recommended course of action, and the communications device communicates a message to resume standard operations to the locomotive control computer.

17. A method for improving operational safety and overall efficiency, including fuel efficiency, vehicle wheel wear, and track wear, for a track and a vehicle traveling on the track, comprising:

a) determining track parameters comprising at least one parameter of a group including a grade of the track, a superelevation of the track, a gauge of the track, and a curvature of the track;

b) determining vehicle parameters comprising at least one parameter of a group including a speed of the vehicle relative to the track, a distance the vehicle has traveled on the track, forces on a drawbar of the vehicle, a set of global positioning system coordinates for the vehicle, and a set of orthogonal accelerations experienced by the vehicle;

c) determining a plurality of calculated parameters as a function of the track parameters and the vehicle parameters, including a balance speed parameter for the vehicle;

d) determining in real-time if the track parameters, the vehicle parameters, and the calculated parameters associated with the balance speed parameter are within acceptable tolerances associated with the balance speed parameter;

e) if any one of the track parameters, the vehicle parameters, or the calculated parameters associated with the balance speed parameter are not within acceptable tolerances, determining a first optimized control strategy for the vehicle; and

f) communicating the first optimized control strategy, the track parameters, the vehicle parameters, and the calculated parameters to a locomotive control computer in a lead unit associated with the vehicle so that the locomotive control computer can alter a current control strategy to promote operational safety and overall efficiency, including fuel efficiency, minimizing vehicle wheel wear, and minimizing track wear.

18. The method set forth in claim 17, further including:

g) receiving feedback from the locomotive control computer, including engine performance parameters and fuel consumption information, after the locomotive control computer determines the required alterations to the current drive control strategy based on any one or more of the first optimized control strategy, the track parameters, the vehicle parameters, and the calculated parameters.

19. The method set forth in claim 18, further including:

h) comparing the feedback from the locomotive control computer to any one or more of the first optimized control strategy, the track parameters, the vehicle parameters, and the calculated parameters;

i) determining a second optimized control strategy based on the comparison; and

j) communicating the second optimized control strategy to the locomotive control computer so that the locomotive control computer can modify the control strategy alterations to further promote operational safety and overall efficiency, including fuel efficiency, further minimizing vehicle wheel wear, and further minimizing track wear.

20. A method for improving operational safety and overall efficiency, including fuel efficiency, vehicle wheel wear, and track wear, for a track and a train traveling on the track, comprising:

a) determining track parameters comprising at least one parameter of a group including a grade of the track, a superelevation of the track, a gauge of the track, and a curvature of the track;

b) determining train parameters associated with a vehicle of the train including forces on a drawbar of the vehicle;

c) determining a plurality of calculated parameters as a function of the track parameters and the train parameters;

d) determining in real-time if the track parameters, the train parameters, and the calculated parameters are within acceptable tolerances;

e) if any one of the track parameters, the train parameters, or the calculated parameters are not within acceptable tolerances, generating corrective measures; and

f) communicating the corrective measures to a locomotive control computer in a helper unit of the train so that the locomotive control computer can alter a current control strategy to promote operational safety and overall efficiency, including fuel efficiency, minimizing vehicle wheel wear, and minimizing track wear.

21. The method set forth in claim 20, before step c) further including:

g) determining a set of orthogonal accelerations experienced by the vehicle;

h) determining if the orthogonal accelerations are within acceptable tolerances; and

i) if any one orthogonal acceleration is not within acceptable tolerances, adjusting the track parameters and the train parameters to compensate for each orthogonal acceleration that is not within acceptable tolerances.

22. A method for improving operational safety for a track and multiple independent vehicles traveling on the track, comprising:

a) on a first vehicle traveling on the track, determining track parameters comprising at least one parameter of a group including a grade of the track, a superelevation of the track, a gauge of the track, and a curvature of the track;

b) on the first vehicle, determining vehicle parameters comprising at least one parameter of a group including a distance the first vehicle has traveled on the track and a set of global positioning system coordinates for the first vehicle

c) determining a plurality of calculated parameters as a function of the track parameters and the vehicle parameters;

d) on the first vehicle, determining in real-time if the track parameters, the vehicle parameters, and the calculated parameters are within acceptable tolerances; and

e) if any one of the track parameters, the vehicle parameters, or the calculated parameters are not within acceptable tolerances, transmitting a message from the first vehicle to a centralized control office to notify the office that defects have been detected in a portion of the track and provide the track parameters, the vehicle parameters, and the calculated parameters associated with the defective portion of the track.

23. The method set forth in claim 22, further including:

f) at the centralized control office, determining an appropriate action to be taken in response to the notice that the defect was detected based on any one or more of the track parameters, the vehicle parameters, and the calculated parameters received from the first vehicle.

24. The method set forth in claim 23 wherein the centralized control office determines that a maintenance action is required and that a slow order should be issued, further including:

g) at the centralized control office, transmitting a slow order to vehicles traveling on the track that are traveling through or approaching a portion of the track where the defect was detected prior to the maintenance action being completed.

25. The method set forth in claim 24, further including:

h) at the first vehicle, receiving the slow order from the centralized control office and adjusting the speed at which the first vehicle is traveling on the track according to the slow order.

26. The method set forth in claim 25, further including:

i) at the first vehicle, determining that the first vehicle and all vehicles associated with the first vehicle in a train have passed the portion of the track where the defect was detected;

j) at the first vehicle, transmitting a message to the centralized control office that the first vehicle and all vehicles associated therewith have passed the portion of the track where the defect was detected; and

k) at the centralized control office, transmitting a message to the first vehicle to resume standard operations.

27. The method set forth in claim 24, further including:

h) at a second vehicle traveling on the track and approaching a portion of the track where the defect was detected, receiving the slow order from the centralized control office and adjusting the speed at which the second vehicle is traveling on the track according to the slow order.

28. The method set forth in claim 27, further including:

i) at the second vehicle, performing steps a) through d), confirming the defect detected in the portion of the track.

29. The method set forth in claim 27, further including:

i) at the second vehicle, performing steps a) through d), determining that the defect detected in the portion of the track is no longer present;

j) at the second vehicle, transmitting a message to the centralized control office that the defect detected in the portion of the track is no longer present; and

k) at the centralized control office, confirming that the maintenance order for the defective portion of the track has been completed and transmitting a message to the second vehicle to resume standard operations.

30. The method set forth in claim 24, further including:

h) at the centralized control office, communicating a maintenance order to track maintenance personnel calling for verification of the defect reported by the first vehicle and, if necessary, repair of the track.

31. The method set forth in claim 22, further including:

f) at the centralized control office, appending a notice that the defect was detected and the track parameters and the vehicle parameters received from the first vehicle to historical records of detected defects.

32. A method for dynamically modeling a behavior for a vehicle associated with a train traveling on a track or for an individual vehicle traveling on the track, comprising:

a) identifying a train manifest for the train;

b) identifying a plurality of physical characteristics for each vehicle;

c) identifying a plurality of operating characteristics for each vehicle over a range of operational situations;

d) determining track parameters comprising at least one parameter of a group including a grade of the track, a superelevation of the track, a gauge of the track, and a curvature of the track;

e) determining vehicle parameters for a first vehicle comprising at least one parameter of a group including a speed of the first vehicle relative to the track, a distance the first vehicle has traveled on the track, forces on a drawbar of the first vehicle, a set of global positioning system coordinates for the first vehicle, and a set of orthogonal accelerations experienced by the first vehicle;

f) determining a plurality of calculated parameters to dynamically model the behavior of each vehicle based on any one or more of the track parameters, the vehicle parameters, the train manifest, the plurality of physical characteristics, and the plurality of operating characteristics;

g) identifying a vehicle with the highest statistical probability for a derailment under the track parameters for portions of the track currently being traveled;

h) determining if the highest statistical probability exceeds a minimum acceptable probability; and

i) if the highest statistical probability exceeds a minimum acceptable probability, determining a recommended course of action, including an optimized control strategy, to reduce the probability of derailment.

33. The method set forth in claim 32, step d) further including:

j) communicating with an upcoming track feature including a feature selected from a group including a track switch and a track crossing to determine the condition of the feature; and

step f) further including;

k) determining a plurality of calculated parameters to dynamically model the behavior of each vehicle based on any one or more of the track parameters, the vehicle parameters, the train manifest, the plurality of physical characteristics, the plurality of operating characteristics, and the condition of the upcoming track feature.

34. The method set forth in claim 32, further including:

j) displaying the recommended course of action on a video display device for use by an operator associated with the first vehicle.

35. The method set forth in claim 32, further including:

j) communicating the recommended course of action to a locomotive control computer associated with the first vehicle so that the locomotive control computer can alter a current control strategy to reduce the probability of derailment.

36. The method set forth in claim 35, further including:

k) determining that the vehicle with the highest probability for derailment has passed a portion of the track associated with the previous recommended course of action; and

l) communicating a message to resume standard operations to the locomotive control computer.