Trip optimizer method, system and computer software code for operating a railroad train to minimize wheel and track wear

• US 9,233,696 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2009
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kumar, Ajith Kuttannair, Daum, Wolfgang, Shaffer, Glenn Robert, Houpt, Paul Kenneth, Noffsinger, Joseph Forrest, McKay, David Lowell
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan k
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, Rodney P
• Application Number:
  US12/573,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20100023190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,291 Days
• Field of Search: 701/19, 701/20, 246/170
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B61F 3/06 with three or more axles
• CPC Class Codes: B61K 3/02 Apparatus therefor combined with vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0058 On-board optimisation of vehicle or vehicle train operation
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2205/04 Satellite based navigation systems, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/042 Track changes detection
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/025 Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/026 Relative localisation, e.g. using odometer
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/16 Trackside optimisation of vehicle or train operation
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/40 Handling position reports or trackside vehicle data
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/53 for trackside elements or systems, e.g. trackside supervision of trackside control system conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/021 in which a variable is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance

Abstract

A system for controlling a railroad train over a segment of track. The system comprises a first element for determining a location of the train on the segment of track; a second element for providing track characterization information for the segment of track; the track characterization information related to physical conditions of the segment of track; and a processor for controlling applied tractive forces and braking forces of the train responsive to the location of the train and the track characterization information to reduce at least one of wheel wear and/or track wear during operation of the train over the segment of track.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first element for determining a location of a train on a segment of track;

a second element for providing track characterization information for the segment of track, the track characterization information related to physical conditions of the segment of track; and

one or more processors for determining a trip plan based on the location of the train, the track characterization information, and one or more of a calculated amount of wear of a wheel of the train or a calculated amount of wear of the track caused by travel of the train over the track, wherein the train is at least one of automatically controlled according to the trip plan or is manually controlled by a train operator according to the trip plan.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are configured to develop an updated trip plan responsive to updated track characterization information supplied to the second element during traversal of the train over the segment of track.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine in-train forces based on the trip plan and to develop an updated trip plan responsive to determining the in-train forces and based on the location of the train, the track characterization information, and the one or more of the calculated amount of wear of the wheel of the train or the calculated amount of wear of the track caused by travel of the train over the track.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the trip plan such that a cant deficiency parameter representative of actual wear of the track is about zero.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the track characterization information represents identification of a wheel slip in the segment of track for a previous train traveling over the segment of track.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the track characterization information includes a weather condition at the segment of track.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the second element is configured to determine a grade of the segment of track as the track characterization information, the grade determined from tractive power and acceleration used to travel over the segment of track.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the track characterization information includes at least one of a curve length, a curve radius, or an amount of divergence at a track switch within the segment of track.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the track characterization information includes at least one of track friction, friction of the wheel, track stability, track warping, track humping, track age, track type, track hardness, or a coefficient of friction between the wheel of the train and the track within the segment of track.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the track characterization information includes a dimension of the wheel of the train.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the one or more of the calculated amount of wear of the wheel of the train or the calculated amount of wear of the track based on a calculated rate of wear of one or more of the wheel or the track, the calculated rate of wear determined from one or more of a lateral force exerted on the track by the train, a lateral force exerted on the track by the train, a radius of curvature of the track, a gauge of the track, a cant of the track relative to the radius of curvature of the track, a profile of a portion of the track that contacts the wheel of the train, a geometry of the wheel, or a number of axles of the train.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the trip plan as designating speed of the train as a function of one or more of distance or time, the one or more processors configured to determine the trip plan to reduce the one or more of the calculated amount of wear of the wheel or the calculated amount of wear of the track relative to the train traveling over the segment of the track according to one or more of speed or power settings that differ from the trip plan, and

wherein the one or more processors are configured to calculate the one or more of the calculated amount of wear of the wheel of the train or the calculated amount of wear of the track from a difference between a super-elevation of the segment of the track and a ratio of a gauge of the segment of the track to one or more of a radius of curvature of the segment of the track, the speed of the train as designated by the trip plan, or gravitational acceleration.

13. A method comprising:

determining a location of a vehicle on a segment of a route;

obtaining route characterization information for the segment of the route, the route characterization information related to a physical condition of the segment of the route; and

creating a trip plan for the vehicle based on the location of the vehicle, the route characterization information, and one or more of a rate of wear of a wheel of the vehicle or a rate of wear of the route, wherein the trip plan is created to be used to automatically control operations of the vehicle or to instruct an operator to manually control the operations of the vehicle according to the trip plan.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising revising the trip plan into an updated trip plan responsive to updated track characterization information being received either during traversal of the vehicle over the segment of the route.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining in-vehicle forces based on the trip plan and revising the trip plan into an updated trip plan responsive thereto and further responsive to the location of the vehicle, the route characterization information, and the one or more of the rate of wear of the wheel or the rate of wear of the route.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the trip plan is created such that a cant deficiency parameter representative of actual wear of the track is about zero.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the route characterization information represents identification of a wheel slip in the segment of the route for a previous vehicle traveling over the segment of the route.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the route characterization information represents a weather condition at the segment of the route.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining a grade of the segment of the route as the route characterization information, the grade determined from tractive power and acceleration used to travel over the segment of the route.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the route characterization information includes at least one of a curve length, a curve radius, or an amount of divergence at a switch within the segment of the route.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the route characterization information includes at least one of route friction, friction of the wheel, route stability, route warping, route humping, route age, route type, route hardness, or a coefficient of friction between the wheel of the vehicle and the route within the segment of the route.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the route characterization information includes a dimension of the wheel of the vehicle.

23. A system comprising:

a location determining element configured to identify a location of a vehicle on a route;

a route characterization element configured to obtain route characterization information that is representative of one or more physical conditions of the route; and

one or more processors configured to determine a trip plan based on the location of the vehicle on the route, the route characterization information, and one or more of a rate of wear of a wheel of the vehicle or a rate of wear of the route, the one or more processors configured to determine the trip plan so that the trip plan can be used to one or more of automatically control operations of the vehicle or to direct manual control of the operations of the vehicle by an operator according to the trip plan, wherein the trip plan designates operational settings of the vehicle as a function of at least one of distance or time along the route.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein one or more processors are configured to develop an updated trip plan responsive to updated track characterization information being obtained by the route characterization element during or prior to traversal of the vehicle over the route.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine an in-vehicle force based on the trip plan and to develop an updated trip plan responsive to the in-vehicle forces, the location of the vehicle, the route characterization information, and the one or more of the rate of wear of the wheel or the rate of wear of the route.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the track characterization information represents identification of a wheel slip in a segment of the route for a previous trip of the vehicle or another vehicle over the segment of the route.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine or modify the trip plan within the segment of the route based on the identification of the wheel slip in the previous trip.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the track characterization information represents a weather condition in a segment of the route.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the route characterization element is configured to determine a grade of a segment of the route as the route characterization information, the grade determined from tractive power and acceleration used by the vehicle or another vehicle during travel over the segment of the route during a previous trip.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the route characterization information includes at least one of a curve length, a curve radius, or an amount of divergence at a switch within a segment of the route.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the route characterization information includes at least one of route friction, friction of the wheel, route stability, route warping, route humping, route age, route type, route hardness, or a coefficient of friction between the wheel of the vehicle and the route within a segment of the route.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein the route characterization information includes a dimension of the wheel of the vehicle.