Rail system having an energy exchange station
AssigneeElectro-Motive Diesel, Inc.
InventorHarinder Singh Lamba
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rail system is disclosed. The rail system may have a track including a powered section and an unpowered section. The rail system may also have an electrical contact that extends along the powered section of the track. The rail system may further have an energy exchange station electrically connected to the electrical contact. The energy exchange station may be configured to initiate power transmission between the energy exchange station and a rail vehicle, through the electrical contact, when the rail vehicle is on the powered section of the track. The energy exchange station may also be configured to discontinue power transmission between the energy exchange station and the rail vehicle when the rail vehicle leaves the powered section of the track.
Claims20
A rail system, comprising:
- a track including a powered section and an unpowered section;
- an electrical contact that extends along the powered section of the track;
- an energy exchange station electrically connected to the electrical contact,
- wherein the energy exchange station is configured to:
- initiate power transmission between the energy exchange station and a rail vehicle, through the electrical contact, when the rail vehicle is on the powered section of the track;
- and
- discontinue power transmission between the energy exchange station and the rail vehicle when the rail vehicle leaves the powered section of the track.
A method of operating a rail system, comprising:
- connecting an electrical contact to a rail vehicle while the rail vehicle travels on a powered section of a track;
- initiating power transmission between an energy exchange station and the rail vehicle, through the electrical contact, while the rail vehicle travels on the powered section of the track;
- and
- discontinuing power transmission between the energy exchange station and the rail vehicle and disconnecting the electrical contact from the rail vehicle when the rail vehicle leaves the powered section of the track.
An energy exchange system, comprising:
- a track having a plurality of powered sections and a plurality of unpowered sections;
- an energy exchange station located at each of the plurality of powered sections;
- a vehicle configured to travel on the track;
- a controller in communication with the energy exchange station and the vehicle, the controller configured to:
- regulate energy transmission between the energy exchange station and the vehicle as the vehicle travels along the plurality of powered sections of the track.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.