Patent ID: 11859350
Assignee: NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORPORATION
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC E  G  B | IPC B  E  G

Claim 9:
10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
responsive to determining that (a) the snow depth is less than the deep-snow threshold, and (b) the temperature is less than a third temperature threshold, and (c) the first train counter value is greater than a train-count threshold:
obtaining, for each passing train associated with the first train counter value, a train velocity (V) and a train length (L);
calculating, for each passing train, a train sweeping effect (TSE) as a function of the train velocity (V), the train length (L), a constant (C), and a switch-type value (N) associated with the heater, according to the equation:

TSE=(V×L)/(N×C);

identifying a lowest train sweeping effect from among the train sweeping effects calculated;
calculating a local snow depth (SDL) as a function of a previous snow depth at a previous time (SD(t−1)), wherein the previous time (t−1) corresponds to a current time (t) minus one increment of a predetermined time interval, the snowfall rate (SF), and the lowest train sweeping effect (TSE−min), according to the equation:

SDL=SD(t−1)+SF−TSE−min

determining whether the local snow depth (SDL) is greater than the deep-snow threshold; and
responsive to determining that the local snow depth is greater than the deep-snow threshold:
configuring the heater timer according to the melt duration;
generating the command signal to include a start signal to the heater;
setting the first train counter value to zero; and
setting the first light-snow counter value to zero.