Method and apparatus for planning linked train movements

• US 7,797,088 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2006
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Philp, Joseph Wesley, Wills, Mitchell Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Dalena
• Application Number:
  US11/415,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20070260368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,596 Days
• Field of Search: 701/19, 701/20, 701/117, 104/137, 104/307, 246/2.R, 246/14, 246/27, 246/34.CT, 246/98
• US Class Current: 701/19
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/16 Trackside optimisation of vehicle or train operation

Abstract

A scheduling system and method for identifying and planning for the linked movement of two or more trains.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a movement of plural trains over a rail network comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a schedule for a planned movement of plural trains;

(b) identifying two or more trains having block swap activity;

(c) identifying a location of the block swap activity;

(d) monitoring the movement of the two or more trains;

(e) modifying characteristics of the two or more trains when the trains reach the block swap activity location; and

(f) planning a movement of the two or more trains using the modified characteristics.

2. The method of claim 1 where the step of identifying includes identifying trains with the same block code.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the train characteristic is one of weight, length, or importance.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the block swap includes transferring at least one railcar between two trains.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the transferred railcar has a higher priority than the other cars on the train it is being transferred to.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the characteristic is a function of the cargo.

7. A method of controlling a movement of plural trains over a rail network comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a schedule for a planned movement of plural trains;

(b) identifying two or more trains having middle annul activity;

(c) identifying a location of the middle annul activity;

(d) monitoring the movement of the two or more trains;

(e) modifying characteristics of the two or more trains when the trains reach the middle annul activity location; and

(f) planning the movement of the two or more trains using the modified characteristics.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the train characteristic is one of weight, length, or importance.

9. A computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for controlling the movement of plural trains over a rail network, the computer program comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code modules embodied in said medium for planning a movement of trains;

a computer readable first program code module for providing a schedule for the planned movement of plural trains,

a computer readable second program code module for identifying two or more trains having block swap activity,

a computer readable third program code module for identifying a location of the block swap activity;

a computer readable fourth program code module for monitoring the movement of the two or more trains;

a computer readable fifth program code module for modifying characteristics of the two or more trains when the trains reach the block swap activity location; and

a computer readable sixth program code module for planning the movement of the two or more trains using the modified characteristics.

10. The computer program of claim 9 wherein the block swap includes transferring at least one railcar between two trains.

11. The computer program of claim 9 wherein the characteristics include one of physical and non-physical characteristics.