Control system for an improved rail transport system for conveying bulk materials

A control system for a rail transport system for conveying bulk materials, wherein the rail transport system includes a plurality of cars adapted to form at least two separate trains, and wherein at least one car of each train has a pair of side drive plates and is adapted for carrying the bulk materials, the rail transport system further including at least one drive station for frictionally contacting the side drive plates for imparting a driven movement to each train, the control system comprising:

• a sensor arrangement for sensing a car detection element of at least one car of each of the trains,
• wherein the sensor arrangement is adapted to determine status information associated with the at least one car wherein the status information is the speed of the car, speed of the train associated with the car, acceleration rate of the car, acceleration rate of the train associated with the car, direction of movement of the car, derailment of the car, location of the car, location of the train, or derailment of the train associated with the car.

A control system for a rail transport system for conveying bulk materials, wherein the rail transport system includes a plurality of cars adapted to form at least two separate trains, and wherein at least one car of each train has a pair of side drive plates and is adapted for carrying the bulk materials, the rail transport system further including at least one drive station for frictionally contacting the side drive plates for imparting a driven movement to each train, the control system comprising:

• a three sensor arrangement for sensing a car detection element of at least one car of each of the trains each sensor with a known pre-determined spacing between each sensor permitting sequential detection of the car detection element of the car,
• wherein the sensor arrangement is adapted to determine status information associated with the at least one car wherein the status information is the speed of the car, speed of the train associated with the car, acceleration rate of the car, acceleration rate of the train associated with the car, direction of movement of the car, derailment of the car, location of the car, location of the train, or derailment of the train associated with the car.