Track database integrity monitor for enhanced railroad safety distributed power

A method for remotely controlling a locomotive, said method comprising:

• determining a position of said locomotive with a position-determining device;
• providing a pre-stored track database comprising track terrain and contour information;
• providing coupler sensor data;
• processing said position of said train, said coupler sensor data and comparing said position with said pre-stored track database to determine a distributed power to apply to said locomotive;
• applying a track database integrity monitor to determine whether said pre-stored track database and said position correlate;
• if said track database integrity monitor corresponds with said pre-stored track database, calculating and applying a distributed power to said locomotive;
• and
• creating a second track database based on applying said track database integrity monitor.

A distributed power control system for controlling a train having a master locomotive and a slave locomotive where a car separates said master locomotive and said slave locomotive, said system comprising:

• a position-determining device for determining a position of said train;
• a pre-stored track database comprising terrain and contour data about a railroad track;
• a track database integrity monitor for detecting errors with said pre-stored track database based on a position of said train;
• a coupler separating each said locomotive from said car;
• a coupler sensor to determine force applied to each said coupler;
• a processor comprising an algorithm to determine a distributed power for said locomotive based on data received from said coupler sensor and to use said track database integrity monitor to determine if errors exist in said pre-stored track database;
• a memory device connected to said processor;
• and
• wherein said processor controls said train based on a calculated distributed power.

A method for distributing power in a (training) train with a master locomotive and a slave locomotive, said method comprising:

• providing a position-determining device;
• determining a position of said locomotive with a position-determining device;
• providing a pre-stored track database comprising track terrain and contour information;
• providing coupler sensor data;
• processing said position of said train, said coupler sensor data and comparing said position with said pre-stored track database to determine a distributed power to apply to said master locomotive and said slave locomotive;
• applying a track database integrity monitor to determine whether said pre-stored track database and said position correlate;
• if said track database integrity monitor corresponds with said pre-stored track database, calculating and applying a distributed power to said master locomotive and said slave locomotive;
• creating a second track database based on applying said track database integrity monitor;
• providing couplers in said train;
• determining a force at each said couplers using said processor;
• optimizing said force based on a calculated distributed power;
• and
• saving said second track database in a memory device.