Automated track inspection vehicle and method

A method of detecting an anomaly in a railroad track comprising the steps of:

• (a) guiding a car along railroad track;
• (b) creating an image of the railroad track through a camera system located on the car, said image including (1) both rails of the track including (2) an entire lateral extent of cross ties extending both between the rails and outward of both rails, (3) rail fastening elements, and (4) ballast materials and (5) the presence or absence of at least one anomaly in (1) through (4);
• (c) recording the image of the tracks;
• and
• (d) viewing the recorded image to detect the anomaly if present.

A method of detecting an anomaly in a railroad track comprising the steps of:

• (a) guiding a car along railroad track;
• (b) creating an image of the track through a camera system located on the car, said image including (1) both rails of the track including (2) an entire lateral extent of cross ties extending both between the rails and outward of both rails, (3) rail fastening elements, and (4) ballast materials and (5) the presence or absence of at least one anomaly in (1) through (4);
• (c) viewing the image of the track through a display terminal located inside the car to detect the anomaly if present;
• (d) upon detection of the anomaly if present, recording the image of the track.

A method of detecting the anomaly in a railroad track comprising the steps of:

• (a) guiding a car along railroad track;
• (b) viewing the track through a window in the car to detect the anomaly;
• (c) creating an image of the track through a camera system located on the car said image including (1) both rails of the track including (2) an entire lateral extent of cross ties extending both between the rails and outward of both rails, (3) rail fastening elements, and (4) ballast materials and (5) the presence or absence of at least one anomaly in (1) through (4);
• (d) viewing the image of the track through a display terminal located inside the car to detect the anomaly;
• (e) measuring a plurality of geometry parameters on the track, including distance;
• (f) detecting the anomaly if present by calculating variations between one or more of the plurality of measured parameters and a plurality of expected parameters;
• (g) upon detection of the anomaly in one or more of steps (b), (d) and (f), providing a single representative of the detection of the anomaly;
• (h) upon receipt of the signal, recording the image of the track including the anomaly;
• and
• (i) viewing the image of the track through a display terminal located inside the car to detect the anomaly.

A method of detecting an anomaly in a railroad track comprising the steps of:

• (a) creating a digitized image of the track through a camera system, said digital image including (1) both rails of the track including (2) an entire lateral extent of cross ties extending both between the rails and outward of both rails, (3) rail fastening elements, and (4) ballast materials and (5) the presence or absence of at least one anomaly in (1) through (4);
• (b) recording the image of the track;
• and
• (c) viewing the recorded image through a display terminal to detect the anomaly.