Braking systems and methods of determining a safety factor for a braking model for a train

A braking system for a train having at least one locomotive with at least one on-board computer and, optionally, at least one railcar, wherein the on-board computer is programmed to:

• receive a formula for calculating, during train operation, a safety factor based at least partially on (i) at least one operating train constant, and (ii) train speed, track grade, and train weight;
• receive or determine the at least one operating train constant;
• using the formula, calculate a safety factor based at least partially on (i) the at least one operating train constant, and (ii) train speed, track grade, and train weight;
• receive or determine a plurality of operational train data inputs;
• determine at least one predicted braking distance using an on-board braking model and based at least partially on the plurality of operational train data inputs and the calculated safety factor;
• and
• activate or cause the activation of an emergency braking system based at least partially on the at least one predicted braking distance and a specified target location.

A braking system for a train having at least one locomotive with at least one on computer and, optionally, at least one railcar, wherein the on-board computer is programmed to:

• receive a database populated with a plurality of safety factors for a plurality of train speeds, track grades, and train weights;
• receive or determine at least one operating train constant;
• using the database, determine or select a safety factor based at least partially on (i) at least one operating train constant, and (ii) train speed, track grade, and train weight;
• receive or determine a plurality of operational train data inputs;
• determine at least one predicted braking distance using an on-board braking model and based at least partially on the plurality of operational train data inputs and the determined safety factor;
• and
• activate or cause the activation of an emergency braking system based at least partially on the at least one predicted braking distance and a specified target location.

A braking system for a train having at least one locomotive with at least one on-board computer and, optionally, at least one railcar, wherein the on-board computer is programmed to:

• determine at least one predicted braking distance using an on-board braking model;
• initiate a penalty brake application;
• generate at least one emergency braking profile or curve based at least partially on the at least one predicted braking distance to a specified target location;
• update the at least one emergency braking profile or curve with a plurality of operational train data inputs, thereby providing at least one updated emergency braking profile or curve;
• and
• based upon at least one train condition, activate or cause the activation of an emergency braking system when the updated emergency braking profile or curve intersects the specified target location.

A computer-implemented method for determining a plurality of safety factors for use in a braking model of at least one train, the method comprising:

• (a) for a specified scenario having specified train modeling constants, providing the specified train modeling constants and a plurality of train data inputs into a braking model programmed to determine a predicted braking distance;
• (b) for a plurality of subsequent specified scenarios having the same specified train modeling constants, modifying a plurality of the train data inputs, and providing the specified train modeling constants and the modified train inputs into the braking model to determine a plurality of subsequent predicted braking distances;
• (c) determine at least one safety factor based at least in part on the distribution of the predicted braking distance and the subsequent predicted braking distances for the specified scenarios;
• (d) repeating steps (a)-(c) for a plurality of different specified scenarios;
• (e) based at least partially on steps (a)-(d), generating a database populated with a plurality of safety factors selectable based at least partially on (i) at least one operating train constant, and (ii) train speed, track grade, and train weight;
• and
• (f) providing the database to at least one on-board computer of at least one train for use in the selection, during train operation, of at least one safety factor based at least partially on (i) at least one operating train constant, and (ii) train speed, track grade, and train weight, to cause the at least one on-board computer of the at least one train to activate or cause the activation of an emergency braking system based at least partially on the at least one safety factor and a specified target location.