Coupling and decoupling of locomotives

Abstract

A mechanism to determine whether conditions are correct for coupling one train consist to another train consist is disclosed. Controllers on locomotives are configured to determine the forces and/or compression state between locomotives and/or cars of a consist based at least in part on an intra-train force model and measured sensor data. The controllers also determine the relative speed of the consists that are to be joined. Based at least in part on the compressive state of at least one of the consists and the relative speed of the consists, the controller determines whether the conditions are suitable to couple the two consists. In some cases, terrain data, such as upcoming slope of tracks data may also be used in determining whether conditions are suitable for coupling consists. In further cases, the operation of at least one consist may be modified to achieve suitable conditions for coupling the two consists.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A train consist, comprising:
 a first locomotive;   a second locomotive with the first locomotive coupled in front of the second locomotive, the first locomotive including:
 a first sensor; 
 a second sensor; and 
 a controller configured to:
 receive a first signal from the first sensor; 
 determine, based at least in part on the first signal and a force model, a compressive state between the first locomotive and the second locomotive; 
 receive a second signal from the second sensor; 
 
   determine, based at least in part on the second signal, a closing speed of the train consist to a second train consist in front of the train consist; and   cause, based at least in part on the compressive state and the closing speed, the train consist to couple with the second train consist.   
     
     
         2 . The train consist of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 receive terrain data, wherein to cause the train consist to couple with the second train consist is based at least in part on the terrain data.   
     
     
         3 . The train consist of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine that the compressive state is a compressed state of the train consist, wherein to cause the train consist to couple with the second train consist is based at least in part on the compressed state.   
     
     
         4 . The train consist of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine that an average compression level of the train consist is less than a threshold value.   
     
     
         5 . The train consist of  claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is a strain gauge associated with a draft gear of the first locomotive. 
     
     
         6 . The train consist of  claim 1 , wherein the second sensor is one of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor or a power view sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The train consist of  claim 1 , wherein controller is further configured to:
 determine that the closing speed is less than a threshold value, wherein to cause the train consist to couple with the second train consist is based at least in part on the closing speed being less than the threshold value.   
     
     
         8 . The train consist of  claim 1 , wherein controller is further configured to:
 cause the first locomotive to decelerate.   
     
     
         9 . The train consist of  claim 1 , wherein to determine the compressive state between the first locomotive and the second locomotive comprises using an intra-consist force model. 
     
     
         10 . A method of coupling a first consist to a second consist, comprising:
 receiving, by a controller, a first signal from a sensor, the first signal indicative of a force between a first locomotive of the first consist and a second locomotive of the first consist;   determining, by the controller and based at least in part on the first signal and a force model, a compression level between the first locomotive and the second locomotive;   determining, by the controller and based at least in part on the compression level, that the first consist is in a compressed state;   determining, by the controller and based at least in part on the first consist being in a compressed state, that the first consist is to couple to the second consist; and   causing, by the controller, the first consist to couple with the second consist.   
     
     
         11 . The method of coupling a first consist to a second consist of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving terrain data, wherein causing the first consist to couple with the second consist is based at least in part on the terrain data.   
     
     
         12 . The method of coupling a first consist to a second consist of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the controller, a second signal from a second sensor; and   determining, by the controller and based at least in part on the second signal, a closing speed of the first train consist to the second train consist, wherein causing the first consist to couple with the second consist is based at least in part on the closing speed.   
     
     
         13 . The method of coupling a first consist to a second consist of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 determining, by the controller, that the second consist is in the compressed state, wherein causing the first consist to couple with the second consist is based at least in part on the second consist being in the compressed state.   
     
     
         14 . The method of coupling a first consist to a second consist of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 causing, by the controller and based at least in part on the compression level, the second locomotive to accelerate.   
     
     
         15 . The method of coupling a first consist to a second consist of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 causing, by the controller and based at least in part on the compression level, the first locomotive to decelerate.   
     
     
         16 . A train control system, comprising:
 a controller including one or more processors; and   one or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to:
 receive a first signal from a first sensor, the first signal indicative of a distance between a first locomotive of a first consist and a second locomotive of a second consist; 
 determine, based at least in part on the first signal, a closing speed of the first locomotive to the second locomotive; 
 determine that the closing speed is greater than a threshold value; 
 determine, based at least in part on the closing speed being greater than the threshold value, that the first locomotive is not to couple with the second locomotive; and 
 provide an indication that the first locomotive is not to couple with the second locomotive. 
   
     
     
         17 . The train control system of  claim 16 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the controller, further cause the controller to:
 cause the first locomotive to decelerate;   receive a second signal from the first sensor;   determine, based at least in part on the second signal, a second closing speed of the first locomotive to the second locomotive;   determine that the second closing speed is less than the threshold value;   determine, based at least in part on the second closing speed being less than the threshold value, that the first locomotive is to couple with the second locomotive; and   cause the first locomotive to couple with the second locomotive.   
     
     
         18 . The train control system of  claim 17 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the controller, further cause the controller to:
 receive a third signal from a second sensor, the first signal indicative of a force between the first locomotive and a third locomotive of the first consist, wherein to cause the first locomotive to couple with the second locomotive is based at least in part on the third signal.   
     
     
         19 . The train control system of  claim 17 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the controller, further cause the controller to:
 receive terrain data, wherein to cause the first locomotive to couple with the second locomotive is based at least in part on the terrain data.   
     
     
         20 . The train control system of  claim 16 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the controller, further cause the controller to:
 determine that a compression level between the first locomotive and a third locomotive of the first consist is greater than a second threshold value, wherein to determine that the first locomotive is not to couple with the second locomotive is based at least in part on the compression level.