System and method for automatic train operation

A system for controlling the movement of plural freight trains providing a periodic service over a track layout using an unmanned locomotive, comprising:

• a track layout interconnecting plural destinations, said track layout including one or more sets of tracks providing plural different routes between two or more of the plural destinations and said layout accommodating plural trains simultaneously;
• plural wayside resources associated with the tracks at various points along the length thereof, said wayside resources comprising one or more of switches, hot box detectors, broken rail detectors, train occupancy detectors, tunnel door monitoring and control systems, and visual indicators;
• plural wayside communication devices, each communicating in a two way communication with one or more of said wayside resources and each said wayside communication device communicating with a central control station at least in part through a wireless communication;
• plural locomotive control devices, each device controlling the throttle and brakes of a locomotive;
• plural train position detecting devices, each device carried onboard a train for detecting the position of the train on the track layout;
• plural train communication devices, each device carried onboard a train and establishing communications between said locomotive control devices and said central control station at least in part through a wireless communication and each said device establishing communications between said train position detecting devices and said central control station;
• a resource input device to receive signals indicating the service desired from trains operating over the track layout;
• a movement planner which generates a specific movement plan which will operate trains over the track layout to meet the desired service, said movement planner including the track layout, rules regarding the operation of trains within the track layout, and the identification and location of the wayside resources;
• a vital control module which receives signals indicating the current position of the trains and the current status of the wayside resources and which generates signals specifying the speeds at which each of the trains are to be run in accordance with the movement plan and which generates signals controlling the operation of the wayside resources;
• and,
• wherein the central station provides the speed specifying signals and the wayside resource controlling signals to the train communication devices and said wayside resource communication devices and which provides the current train position signals and the current status of wayside resource signals to said control module.

In a railway system comprising a track layout over which plural trains operate simultaneously on a nonperiodic basis, said track layout providing plural alternate routes between various points along said track layout, said track layout having associated plural wayside resources at various points, and said trains having means for automatic operation of their throttle and brakes, a method for controlling the movement of trains within the track layout comprising the steps of:

• (A) generating a movement plan which schedules the trains to use the track and the wayside resources on a non-conflicting basis;
• (B) receiving by wireless communication the location and speed of each train controlled by the system;
• (C) receiving by wireless communication the operational status of each of the wayside resources controlled by the system;
• (D) determining from said generated movement plan the movement of the trains which will carry out the movement plan;
• (E) determining from said generated movement plan the operation of the wayside resources which will carry out the movement plan;
• (F) transmitting by wireless communication from a central station to each of the trains the determined movement of the trains;
• and,
• (G) transmitting by wireless communication from said central station to the wayside resources the determined operation of the wayside resources.