Route examining system and method

A system comprising:

• application devices configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle system traveling along plural conductive rails, the application devices configured to be at least one of conductively or inductively coupled with the conductive rails at different locations along a length of the vehicle system, the application devices configured to electrically inject examination signals into the rails;
• a detection unit configured to be disposed onboard the vehicle system, the detection unit configured to monitor one or more electrical characteristics of the conductive rails in response to the examination signals being injected into the rails;
• and
• an identification unit including one or more processors configured to determine that a section of the rails includes an electrical short responsive to the one or more electrical characteristics indicating receipt by the detection unit of only one of the examination signals at a signal-to-noise ratio that exceeds a threshold.

A system comprising:

• a detection unit configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle system traveling along a route having conductive rails;
• a detection device coupled with the detection unit, the detection device including a conductive body configured to be at least one of conductively or inductively coupled with at least one of the conductive rails,
• wherein the detection unit is configured to monitor one or more electrical characteristics of the conductive rails as detected by the detection device in response to examination signals being electrically injected into the conductive rails;
• and
• an identification unit configured to determine that an electrical short exists between the conductive rails responsive to the detection device receiving one of the examination signals at a signal-to-noise ratio that is greater than a threshold ratio but not receiving another of the examination signals at the signal-to-noise ratio that is greater than the threshold ratio.