Method and apparatus for positioning a rail vehicle or rail vehicle consist
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsDerek Kevin Woo, Carlos Sabino Paulino, Ralph C. Haddock, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tower control system, under an indexing mode of operation, receives a first signal from rail yard equipment. In response to the first signal, the tower control system establishes a positioning mode of operation. Under the positioning mode of operation, and in response to actuation of an interface of the tower control system, the tower control system sends a second signal to a lead powered rail vehicle of a consist. The second signal includes a first command to adjust a throttle setting of the lead powered rail vehicle, along with a second command to idle a throttle of any remote powered rail vehicle of the consist.
Claims13
A system for controlling a rail vehicle, said system comprising:
- an off-board control unit configured for communication with an on-board transceiver, which is mounted in the rail vehicle and operatively connected with at least one power system of the rail vehicle, said off-board control unit further configured for receiving a first signal from rail yard equipment disposed in a rail yard proximate the rail vehicle;
- and
- an operator control unit operatively connected with the off-board control unit and including a selector manually movable to a plurality of pre-determined positions, such that in response at least to movement of the selector among the pre-determined positions, the off-board control unit is configured to establish corresponding modes of operation,
- wherein the off-board control unit is configured to establish a positioning mode of operation, corresponding to one of the pre-determined positions of the selector, in response to the first signal received from the rail yard equipment, and wherein when operating in the positioning mode of operation the off-board control unit is configured to transmit to the on-board transceiver second signals for positioning the rail vehicle independently from a rail vehicle consist of which the rail vehicle is a part.
A system for remotely controlling a rail vehicle consist, said system comprising:
- a tower control system configured for communication with the rail vehicle consist and to receive a first signal from rail yard equipment, the tower control system comprising an interface;
- and
- wherein the tower control system is configured to transition from an indexing mode of operation to a positioning mode of operation responsive to receiving the first signal, and wherein the tower control system, when operative in the positioning mode of operation and in response to actuation of the interface, is configured to send from the tower control system a second signal to a lead powered rail vehicle of the rail vehicle consist, said second signal comprising a first command to adjust a throttle setting of the lead powered rail vehicle and a second command to idle a throttle of any remote powered rail vehicle of the rail vehicle consist.
A system for controlling a rail vehicle, said system comprising:
- an on-board transceiver mounted in said rail vehicle and operatively connected with at least one power system of the rail vehicle, said on-board transceiver configured to receive from an off-board control unit, not mounted in said rail vehicle, command signals for positioning the rail vehicle independently from a rail vehicle consist of which the rail vehicle is a part,
- said command signals comprising a signal for setting a throttle control of the rail vehicle, a signal for adjusting a braking parameter of the rail vehicle, and a signal for discontinuing a distributed power control mode of the rail vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.