Patent ID: 6862503

Claim:
A method for approximating an angular offset error in dynamic angle-of-attack measurements for train moving along track comprising: measuring the angle-of-attack value for at least one pair of opposing wheels in each wheel set in a given number of wheel sets of said train at a location on said track having opposing sensors, said opposing sensors offset from each other due to misalignment so that each sensor is misaligned along parallel lines perpendicular to the track rather than being aligned on a single line, the misalignment due to rail longitudinal movement, determining in a computer operatively connected to said opposing sensors the approximate angular offset error based on the measured angle of attack values for each wheel set in the given number of wheel sets, selecting only those measured angle-of-attack values that fall within a predetermined range, the predetermined range selected to correspond to include properly steering wheel sets in the given number of wheel sets, processing the selected angle-of-attack values to obtain the approximate angular offset value.