System and method for mobile subvehicular access and treatment of ground surfaces about occupied rail tracks

A method for subvehicularly accessed treatment of ground surfaces about a rail track occupied by a rail vehicle, comprising:

• establishing a mobile treatment unit on a self-propelled vehicle platform supported by at least a pair of wheel sets coupled thereto, disposing in each said wheel set a plurality of wheel members arranged in line, said pair of wheel sets being bilaterally disposed at opposing lateral sides of said vehicle platform, actuating at least one sensor unit coupled to said vehicle platform to capture environmental feedback data about said mobile treatment unit;
• positioning said mobile treatment unit between the rails occupied by the rail vehicle for subvehicular passage therealong;
• actuating said mobile treatment unit to dispense a treatment material therefrom onto regions of the ground surface about the rails while maneuvering said mobile treatment unit between the rails;
• maintaining a height clearance for unobstructed passage of said mobile treatment unit beneath the occupying rail vehicle;
• and,
• controlling said mobile treatment unit through a wireless communications link maintained therewith, said mobile treatment unit being controlled thereby responsive to at least one of said environmental feedback and a maneuver control command input.

A method for treatment of a ground surface about a rail track having a pair of substantially parallel rails, with a rail vehicle occupying the rail track remaining in situ thereon, comprising:

• establishing in a mobile treatment unit configured to maintain sufficient clearance along a full length of the occupying rail vehicle for unobstructed passage therebeneath:
• a storage compartment defining a space for holding a treatment material, said storage compartment being selectively power driven for regulating the passage of the treatment material therethrough;
• a dispensing portion coupled to said storage compartment for expelling the treatment material passed thereto from said storage compartment, said dispensing portion being selectively actuated for rotary spreading of the treatment material from said storage compartment onto regions of the ground surface adjacent the rails;
• and,
• at least one sensor unit coupled to said mobile treatment unit, said sensor unit being actuated to acquire environmental feedback data relative to said mobile treatment unit;
• propelling said mobile treatment unit for subvehicular passage between the rails underneath the rail vehicle;
• establishing a control unit operably coupled to said mobile treatment unit by a wireless communications link, said control unit receiving the environmental feedback data acquired by said sensor unit;
• and,
• actuating said control unit to selectively maneuver said mobile treatment unit in between the rails and selectively actuate dispensing of the treatment material therefrom responsive to at least one of said environmental feedback and a maneuver control command.