Railway switches and signals – Block-signal systems – Automatic
Patent
1996-11-25
1998-07-28
Morano, S. Joseph
Railway switches and signals
Block-signal systems
Automatic
246121, 246167R, 246178, 340904, B61L 2300
Patent
active
057852839
ABSTRACT:
A system and method of communicating via digital radio between a train and a device positioned at the wayside of a railway system, wherein the device detects defects at the wayside and information related to the defects is transmitted from the wayside to the train for display in the locomotive cab. A communications unit having a microprocessor control circuit and a transceiver is electrically coupled, preferably by serial connection, to the defect detector along the wayside. The transceiver of the communications unit is in radio communication with an existing transceiver in the head-of-train (HOT) unit located in the locomotive cab at the head-end of the train. The head-of-train unit has a microprocessor control circuit that drives a display which is preferably alphanumeric, for the purpose of displaying messages related to the defects detected by the defect detector at the wayside, and subsequently transmitted between the transceiver of the communications unit and the transceiver of the HOT unit. In a preferred embodiment, the HOT unit includes recording apparatus for recording the messages displayed and an alarm for notifying an operator that a message is being displayed.
REFERENCES:
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Association of American Railroads Communication Manual, "Recommended Guidelines, Considerations and Radio Frequency Requirements For Train Information Systems Reaffirmed in 1994", 1994, part 12-15, Option 14--Hot Box, Dragging Equipment and Other Defects Cab Display, pp. 31-36.
"Monitoring Cabooseless Trains", Railway Age, Mar. 1987, pp. 47-48.
Ehrenberger Michael J.
Gottschlich Kenneth
Harper Christopher R.
Mecca Randall S.
Wilson Jack I.
Morano S. Joseph
Sembrat Kevin A.
Union Switch & Signal Inc.
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