US 11,834,082 B2
Rail buckle detection and risk prediction
Marc Miller, Lee's Summit, MO (US); Chad A. Moore, Kyle, TX (US); Lawrence A. Mianzo, Pittsburgh, PA (US); Mike Hoffelder, Norwich, NY (US); Darrell Cantrell, Shawnee, KS (US); Derrill J. Koelz, Pittsburgh, PA (US); and Narayana G. Nadukuru, Sewickley, PA (US)
Assigned to Progress Rail Services Corporation, Albertville, AL (US)
Filed by Progress Rail Services Corporation, Albertville, AL (US)
Filed on Sep. 18, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/574,446.
Prior Publication US 2021/0078622 A1, Mar. 18, 2021
Int. Cl. B61L 23/04 (2006.01); B61K 9/08 (2006.01); G06Q 10/0635 (2023.01); G01N 19/08 (2006.01); B61L 27/53 (2022.01)
CPC B61L 23/044 (2013.01) [B61K 9/08 (2013.01); B61L 23/047 (2013.01); G06Q 10/0635 (2013.01); B61L 27/53 (2022.01); G01N 19/08 (2013.01); G06T 2207/10048 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for detecting a buckled rail in a railroad track, comprising:
a forward-facing camera mounted on a locomotive of a train traveling on the railroad track, the forward-facing camera being configured to capture images of rails of the railroad track ahead of the locomotive, to detect the buckled rail in the images, and to measure dimensions of the buckled rail;
a sensor mounted on the train and configured to detect an ambient temperature; and
an event recorder onboard the locomotive and in communication with the forward-facing camera and the sensor, the event recorder being configured to:
receive data from the forward-facing camera associated with the buckled rail when the forward-facing camera detects the buckled rail, the data including one or more images of the buckled rail and the dimensions of the buckled rail;
transmit an alarm signal to a display interface of a remote unit when the dimensions of the buckled rail meet a predetermined threshold;
collect a time that the buckled rail is detected; and
collect from the sensor, when the forward-facing camera detects the buckled rail, data indicative of the ambient temperature surrounding the buckled rail.