Patent ID: 8386281

Claim:
A system comprising: a hand-held mobile device configured to be communicatively coupled with a server computer by at least a portion of a network, the mobile device configured to communicate computer-readable information related to operation of a rail vehicle with the server computer over a trip of the rail vehicle, wherein prior to the rail vehicle beginning to move on the trip the mobile device is configured to receive first information transmitted from the server without human intervention, the first information comprising at least one of rules information, time table information, switch information, or a wheel report as the computer-readable information, wherein during travel of the rail vehicle along the trip, the mobile device is configured to receive a form transmitted from the server without human intervention, the form comprising a user-fillable form related to operation of the rail vehicle as the compute readable information to add data representative of operation conditions of the rail vehicle to the user-fillable form, and to transmit the user-fillable form with the data to the server computer, and wherein the mobile device is configured to receive second information transmitted from the server without human intervention, the second information comprising switching information representative of current switching activities of switches in a vehicle yard responsive to the mobile device disposed onboard the rail vehicle entering into a designated area associated with the vehicle yard.