Redundancy switching of detection points

A method for operating an axle counter system for monitoring the occupation status of a given track section, the track section being limited by counting positions, wherein at least one counting-in-position and a basic counting-out-position is provided, wherein at each counting position at least one detection point is provided and at least one counting position an additional detection point is provided, the basic and the additional detection point forming a set of redundant detection points, wherein each of the basic and additional detection points are a double sensor, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) incrementing or decrementing axle counter values by means of the detection points in dependence of the moving direction of a passing axle;
• (b) transmitting the axle counter value of each detection point to an axle counter evaluator;
• (c) selecting for each counting position exactly one basic or additional detection point for further processing independent of the selection at any other counting position, wherein the axle counter values of the of the selected basic or additional detection points are used for determining the number remaining axles within the track section and that the counter values of the non-selected detection basic or additional points of the at least one set of redundant detection points are ignored;
• (d) determining the number of remaining axles within the track section by means of the axle counter evaluator by comparing the axle counter values of the selected basic or additional detection points at the counting-in-positions with those at the counting-out-positions;
• and
• (e) outputting a track occupation status report in dependence of the number of remaining axles within the track section.