Patent ID: 9211892
Filing Date: 2015-12-15
Classification: B61D

Abstract:
1. A method for monitoring operation of a railcar with one or more doors, comprising the steps of, in response to a hot shoe of the railcar making contact with a first electrified contact at a first voltage level: actuating a first control valve to open a selected door of the railcar; providing power to a microcontroller by a power regulator in electrical communication with the hot shoe of the railcar; recording, in a memory component of the microcontroller, the first voltage level and a current time/date value; recording in the memory component of the microcontroller a first timer value representing a time duration since the hot shoe of the railcar made contact with the first electrified contact; and in response to the hot shoe of the railcar breaking contact with the first electrified contact, removing power to the microcontroller by the power regulator.