Patent ID: 6175784
Filing Date: 2001-01-16
Classification: B61L

Abstract:
A remotely operable rail car monitor and control system, comprising:a plurality of transponder systems, each adapted to be mounted to a rail car and including:one or more sensors for sensing information representative of the operation of the rail car;one or more actuators for actuating systems of the rail car;a data link for receiving transponder control commands and for transmitting rail car operation messages; anda controller coupled to the sensors, actuators and data link, for causing the data link to transmit operation messages representative of rail car operation, and to actuate the actuators, as a function of transponder control commands received by the data link; anda transportable data terminal for providing remote communications with each of the transponder systems, comprising:a display;an operator-actuated input device for enabling an operator to select transponder control commands;a data link for transmitting transponder control commands to, and receiving operation messages from, the transponder systems; anda controller coupled to the display, operator-actuated input device and data link, for causing the data link to transmit selected transponder control commands to the transponders, and for causing information representative of rail car operation to be displayed on the display as a function of the received operation messages.