Device, system, and method for monitoring a distance between rail cars during coupling

A method comprising:

• detecting positioning data indicative of a position of a first coupler of a first vehicle system and positioning data indicative of a position of a second coupler of a second vehicle system during a coupling event of the first vehicle system and the second vehicle system;
• determining whether the first coupler is misaligned with the second coupler based on a comparison of the position of the first coupler and the position of the second coupler, wherein the first coupler is prohibited from coupling with the second coupler while the first and second couplers are misaligned;
• and
• initiating at least one action of one or more of the first coupler, the second coupler, the first vehicle system, or the second vehicle system responsive to determining that the first coupler is misaligned with the second coupler to change a position of one or more of the first coupler, the second coupler, the first vehicle system, or the second vehicle system, wherein changing the position of the one or more of the first coupler, the second coupler, the first vehicle system, or the second vehicle system aligns the first coupler with the second coupler.

A system comprising:

• a monitoring device comprising one or more sensors configured to detect positioning data indicative of a position of a first coupler of a first rail vehicle and positioning data indicative of a position of a second coupler of a second rail vehicle during a coupling event of the first rail vehicle and the second rail vehicle;
• and
• a controller comprising one or more processors configured to control operation of one or more of the first coupler, the second coupler, the first rail vehicle, or the second rail vehicle, the controller configured to receive the positioning data of the first coupler and the positioning data of the second coupler,
• the controller configured to determine whether the first coupler is misaligned with the second coupler based on a comparison of the position of the first coupler and the position of the second coupler, wherein the first coupler is determined to be misaligned with the second coupler based on a difference between the position of the first coupler and the position of the second coupler being outside a determined alignment threshold,
• the controller configured to initiate at least one action of one or more of the first coupler, the second coupler, the first rail vehicle, or the second rail vehicle responsive to determining that the first coupler is misaligned with the second coupler to change a position of one or more of the first coupler, the second coupler, the first rail vehicle, or the second rail vehicle, wherein changing the position of the one or more of the first coupler, the second coupler, the first rail vehicle, or the second rail vehicle aligns the first coupler with the second coupler, and
• the controller configured to initiate at least one action of one or more a component of the first coupler or a component of the second coupler responsive to determining that the first coupler is aligned with the second coupler, wherein the controller is configured to receive sensor data from the monitoring device responsive to the initiation of the at least one action of the one or more of the component of the first coupler or the component of the second coupler, the sensor data indicative of completion of movement of the at least one action of the one or more of the component of the first coupler or the component of the second coupler and completion of the coupling event.