Patent ID: 7520472

Claim:
A remote control system for controlling the movement of a train including a locomotive linked with a plurality railcars and the locomotive having an onboard operating system to execute a car-kicking operation to separate a railcar from the train while moving on a track, the remote control system comprising: a portable control unit operable from a location off-board of the locomotive comprising an operator interface having a single input mechanism allowing an operator to initiate a sequence of locomotive operations for automatically performing and completing a car-kicking procedure by generating a signal responsive to actuation of the input mechanism for transmission of the signal to the locomotive; a memory for storing data relative to train, locomotive and track operating parameters and one or more sets of instructions each for completing a respective car-kicking operation associated with differing operating parameter data; a processor, in response to the signal generated by the portable control unit, is configured to select and generate one of said one or more sets of instructions to complete a car-kicking procedure that includes an acceleration and deceleration sequence of locomotive operations wherein the set of instructions is selected based on the train, locomotive and track operating parameter data; and, an onboard slave control unit, interfaced with an operating system on the locomotive and the processor, for automatically controlling movement of the locomotive according to the set of instructions.