U.S. patent application number 13/575789 was filed with the patent office on 2013-08-01 for railroad crossing.
The applicant listed for this patent is Stephen Baines, David McMah. Invention is credited to Stephen Baines, David McMah.
Application Number | 20130193275 13/575789 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44318551 |
Filed Date | 2013-08-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130193275 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Baines; Stephen ; et
al. |
August 1, 2013 |
RAILROAD CROSSING
Abstract
The present invention relates to a railroad crossing (2). The
railroad crossing (2) includes a railroad (4) along which a train
can travel. The railroad crossing (2) further includes a road (6)
extending across the railroad (4) and along which a vehicle or
automobile can travel. The road (6) includes a curved approach (8)
to the railroad (4). The curved approach (8) is effective in
encouraging a reduction in speed of the vehicle without seriously
disrupting vehicle traffic flow. The railroad crossing (2) further
includes a movable vehicle impact barrier (10) which can prevent
the vehicle from crossing the railroad (4). The road (6) may
include two separated traffic lanes (16a, 16b) in which vehicles
travel in opposite directions, and this separation of the lanes
(16) deters the vehicle from being driven from one lane 16a and
into the other lane (16b) in an attempt to circumvent the barrier
(10).
Inventors: |
Baines; Stephen; (Brisbane,
AU) ; McMah; David; (Brisbane, AU) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Baines; Stephen
McMah; David |
Brisbane
Brisbane |
|
AU
AU |
|
|
Family ID: |
44318551 |
Appl. No.: |
13/575789 |
Filed: |
January 31, 2011 |
PCT Filed: |
January 31, 2011 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/AU2011/000093 |
371 Date: |
October 26, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
246/111 ;
246/473.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01F 13/06 20130101;
B61L 29/026 20130101; B61L 29/04 20130101; B61L 29/00 20130101;
B61L 29/28 20130101; B61L 29/24 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
246/111 ;
246/473.1 |
International
Class: |
B61L 29/04 20060101
B61L029/04; B61L 29/24 20060101 B61L029/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 29, 2010 |
AU |
2010900361 |
Mar 2, 2010 |
AU |
2010900881 |
Claims
1. A railroad crossing including: a railroad along which a train
can travel; a road crossing the railroad and along which a vehicle
can travel, the road including a curved approach to the railroad
which encourages a reduction in speed of the vehicle; and a movable
vehicle impact barrier for impeding the vehicle from crossing the
railroad.
2. A railroad crossing as claimed in claim 1, further including a
speed arrestor bed for retarding the speed of the vehicle entering
the arrestor bed from the curved approach.
3. A railroad crossing as claimed in claim 2, wherein the vehicle
impact barrier is arranged to deflect or guide the vehicle from the
approach and into the arrestor bed.
4. A railroad crossing as claimed in claim 2, further including a
wall adjacent the arrestor bed.
5. A railroad crossing as claimed in claim 4, wherein the wall
includes a cushion to facilitate cushioning of the vehicle upon
impact with the wall.
6. A railroad crossing as claimed in claim 2, wherein the arrestor
bed includes a pit filled with sand, gravel or like loose
aggregate, the pit increasing in depth away from the curved
approach.
7. A railroad crossing as claimed in claim 2, further including an
access road extending adjacent the arrestor bed.
8. A railroad crossing as claimed in claim 2, further including a
brightly painted road interconnection for interconnecting the
curved approach and the arrestor bed.
9. A railroad crossing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the barrier
includes a pivotally mounted flipper which is able to pivot
horizontally.
10. A railroad crossing as claimed in claim 9, wherein the barrier
further includes a locking mechanism for locking a free end of the
flipper.
11. A railroad crossing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the barrier
includes any one of retractable bollards, a gantry to which an
impact gate is pivotally mounted, a pivotally mounted gate forming
part of the road, and a pair of double gates.
12. A railroad crossing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the approach
includes a curved wall with visible markings to facilitate visual
detection of the approach.
13. A railroad crossing as claimed in claim 12, wherein the wall
includes a concrete backing and cushion mounted to the backing to
facilitate cushioning of the vehicle upon impact.
14. A railroad crossing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the road
includes two separated traffic lanes in which vehicles travel in
opposite directions, one of the lanes including the approach which
curves away from the other lane.
15. A railroad crossing as claimed in claim 14, wherein the other
lane includes another curved approach to the railroad.
16. A railroad crossing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the approach
is generally s-shaped and the crossing further includes a
roundabout.
17. A railroad crossing as claimed in claim 1, further including a
control system for controlling the vehicle barrier, the control
system including: a train sensor for sensing the train approaching
the railroad crossing along the railroad; and a controller for
controlling the barrier to impede the vehicle from crossing the
railroad subsequent to sensing the train approaching the railroad
crossing.
18. A railroad crossing as claimed in claim 17, further including a
boom gate for extending across the road prior to the vehicle impact
barrier, the boom gate being actuated by the controller responsive
to sensing the train approaching the railroad crossing.
19. A railroad crossing as claimed in claim 17, wherein the control
system further includes an electronic display for displaying a
warning message to the vehicle.
20. A vehicle impact barrier for a railroad crossing, the barrier
including a cantilevered arm which can pivot horizontally.
21. A railroad crossing including: a railroad along which a train
can travel; a road crossing the railroad and along which a vehicle
can travel, the road including a curved approach to the railroad
which encourages a reduction in speed of the vehicle; and a speed
arrestor bed for retarding the speed of the vehicle entering the
arrestor bed from the curved approach.
22. A method for displaying a warning message to a vehicle
approaching a railroad crossing, the railroad crossing including a
railroad along which a train can travel and a road crossing the
railroad and along which the vehicle can travel, the method
including the steps of : sensing the train approaching the railroad
crossing along the railroad; sensing the vehicle approaching the
railroad crossing along the road; and displaying the warning
message to the vehicle subsequent to sensing both the train and the
vehicle.
23. A system for a railroad crossing, the railroad crossing
including a railroad along which a train can travel and a road
crossing the railroad and along which the vehicle can travel, the
system configured to: sense the train approaching the railroad
crossing along the railroad; sense the vehicle approaching the
railroad crossing along the road; and display a warning message to
the vehicle subsequent to sensing both the train and the vehicle.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention generally relates to a railroad
crossing.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The reference to any prior art in this specification is not,
and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of
suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general
knowledge.
[0003] A railroad crossing (also called a level crossing) is a
crossing of a railroad by a road. Railroad crossings are often
fitted with warning devices such as lights, bells and automatic
boom gates to warn vehicles to give way to approaching trains.
However, in spite of the existence of these warning devices,
accidents at railway crossing remain a serious concern with many
accidents continuing to occur because of a failure to notice or
obey the warning devices. For example, vehicles are invariably
driven around boom gates rather than waiting for them to be
raised.
[0004] Many railroad crossings include a railroad and road which
intersect at right angles. It can be difficult for speeding
vehicles approaching these intersections to stop suddenly without
entering the crossing. US 2008/0185482 discloses a railroad
crossing in which the road includes an right-angled approach to the
railroad to encourage a reduction in speed of an approaching
vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 1,571,166 discloses a railroad crossing in
which the angled approach is advantageously less disruptive to
general vehicle traffic flow than US 2008/0185482, although is less
effective in encouraging a reduction in speed of the vehicle.
[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide an
alternative railroad crossing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] According to a first of the present invention; there is
provided a railroad crossing including: [0007] a railroad along
which a train can travel; [0008] a road crossing the railroad and
along which a vehicle can travel, the road including a curved
approach to the railroad which encourages a reduction in speed of
the vehicle; and [0009] a movable vehicle impact barrier for
impeding the vehicle from crossing the railroad.
[0010] The approach may include a curved wall. The wall may include
visible markings to facilitate visual detection of the approach.
The wall may include a concrete backing and cushion mounted to the
backing to facilitate cushioning of the vehicle upon impact. The
road may include two separated traffic lanes in which vehicles
travel in opposite directions, one of the lanes including the
approach which curves away from the other lane. The other lane may
include another curved approach to the railroad. The approach may
be generally s-shaped. Each lane may define a painted warning zone
coincident with the railroad.
[0011] The crossing may further include a roundabout at an entrance
to the curved approach. The crossing may further include a speed
arrestor bed for retarding the speed of the vehicle entering the
arrestor bed from the curved approach. The crossing may further
include an upright wall adjacent the arrestor bed. The upright wall
may include visible markings to facilitate visual detection of the
arrestor bed. The upright wall may include a cushion to facilitate
cushioning of the vehicle upon impact with the wall. The arrestor
bed may include a pit filled with sand, gravel or other loose
aggregate. The pit may increase in depth away from the curved
approach. The crossing may further include an access road extending
adjacent the arrestor bed. The crossing may further include a
brightly painted road interconnection for interconnecting the
curved approach and the arrestor bed.
[0012] The vehicle impact barrier may be arranged to deflect or
guide the vehicle from the approach and into the arrestor bed. The
barrier may include a pivotally mounted flipper which is able to
pivot horizontally. The barrier may further include a locking
mechanism for locking a free end of the flipper. The flipper may
taper toward the free end.
[0013] Alternatively, the barrier may include retractable bollards.
In another embodiment, the barrier may include a gantry to which an
impact gate is pivotally mounted. The gate may be hollow and define
internal webbing and corrugations for strengthening the gate. The
gate may define an inclined impact face which is inclined from
vertical when the gate acts as a barrier. In yet another
embodiment, the barrier may include a pivotally mounted gate
forming part of the road. In yet another embodiment, the barrier
may include a pair of double gates.
[0014] The railroad crossing may include a control system for
controlling the vehicle barrier. The control system may include:
[0015] a train sensor for sensing the train approaching the
railroad crossing along the railroad; and [0016] a controller for
controlling the barrier to impede the vehicle from crossing the
railroad subsequent to sensing the train approaching the railroad
crossing.
[0017] In one embodiment, the controller controls the barrier
responsive to sensing the train approaching the railroad crossing.
In another embodiment, the control system further includes a
vehicle sensor for sensing the vehicle approaching the railroad
crossing along the road and the controller controls the barrier
responsive to sensing the approach of both the train and the
vehicle approaching the railroad crossing.
[0018] The railroad crossing may further include a boom gate for
extending across the road prior to the vehicle impact barrier, the
boom gate being actuated by the controller responsive to sensing
the train approaching the railroad crossing.
[0019] The control system may further include an electronic display
for displaying a warning message to the vehicle. The control system
may further include a vehicle speed sensor for sensing the approach
speed of the vehicle along the road and the display may display
another warning message responsive to detecting that the vehicle
speed exceeds a predetermined threshold.
[0020] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a vehicle impact barrier for a railroad crossing, the
barrier including a cantilevered arm which can pivot
horizontally.
[0021] The barrier may further include a locking mechanism for
locking a free end of the arm. The arm may taper both toward the
free end and upwardly to define a sloping impact face.
[0022] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a railroad crossing including: [0023] a railroad along
which a train can travel; [0024] a road crossing the railroad and
along which a vehicle can travel, the road including a curved
approach to the railroad which encourages a reduction in speed of
the vehicle; and [0025] a speed arrestor bed for retarding the
speed of the vehicle entering the arrestor bed from the curved
approach.
[0026] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a method for displaying a warning message to a vehicle
approaching a railroad crossing, the railroad crossing including a
railroad along which a train can travel and a road crossing the
railroad and along which the vehicle can travel, the method
including the steps of: [0027] sensing the train approaching the
railroad crossing along the railroad; [0028] sensing the vehicle
approaching the railroad crossing along the road; and [0029]
displaying the warning message to the vehicle subsequent to sensing
both the train and the vehicle.
[0030] Between the steps of sensing and the step of displaying, the
method may further include the step of determining a risk of a
collision between the train and vehicle. The displayed warning
message may be determined in accordance with the determined risk.
The risk may be determined using the speed of the vehicle. The risk
may be further determined using the speed of the train. The
displayed message may be personalized to include a number plate
indicator of the vehicle.
[0031] Prior to the step of displaying, the method may further
involve the step of identifying the vehicle wherein the risk is
determined in accordance with the identity of the vehicle. The risk
may be determined in accordance with a behavioral profile of the
vehicle.
[0032] Subsequent to the steps of sensing, the method may further
include the step of moving a vehicle impact barrier to impede the
vehicle from crossing the railroad.
[0033] The method may further include the step of actuating boom
gates responsive to sensing the train approaching the railroad
crossing.
[0034] The method may further include the step of sensing the
vehicle has entered a speed arrestor bed. The method may further
include the step of sending a status message relating to the status
of the crossing. The status message may include an alarm signal
advising that a vehicle has entered the speed arrestor bed.
[0035] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a system for a railroad crossing, the railroad crossing
including a railroad along which a train can travel and a road
crossing the railroad and along which the vehicle can travel, the
system configured to: [0036] sense the train approaching the
railroad crossing along the railroad; [0037] sense the vehicle
approaching the railroad crossing along the road; and [0038]
display a warning message to the vehicle subsequent to sensing both
the train and the vehicle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0039] Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the
invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description
which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art
to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be
regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the
Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference
to a number of drawings as follows:
[0040] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a railroad crossing in accordance
with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0041] FIG. 2a is a plan view showing a vehicle impact barrier of
the railroad crossing of FIG. 1, the barrier being in an open
configuration;
[0042] FIG. 2b is a plan view showing the vehicle impact barrier of
FIG. 2a in a closed configuration;
[0043] FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of a control system of the
railroad crossing of FIG. 1;
[0044] FIG. 4a is a side view showing a vehicle impatt barrier in
accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the
impact barrier being in a non-obstructive configuration;
[0045] FIG. 4b is a side view showing the vehicle impact barrier of
FIG. 4a in an obstructive configuration;
[0046] FIG. 5a is a side view showing a vehicle impact barrier in
accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the
impact barrier being in an obstructive configuration;
[0047] FIG. 5b is a side view showing the vehicle impact barrier of
FIG. 4a in a non-obstructive configuration;
[0048] FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of a gate of the impact
barrier of FIG. 5; and
[0049] FIG. 7 is a flowchart for a method of displaying a warning
message to a vehicle approaching the railroad crossing of FIG.
1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0050] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there
is provided a railroad crossing 2 as shown in FIG. 1. The railroad
crossing 2 includes a railroad 4 along which a train can travel.
The railroad crossing 2 further includes a road 6 crossing the
railroad 4 and along which a vehicle or automobile can travel. The
road 6 includes a curved approach 8 to the railroad 4. The curved
approach 8 is effective in encouraging a reduction in speed of the
vehicle by the driver without seriously disrupting vehicle traffic
flow. The railroad crossing 2 further includes a movable vehicle
impact barrier 10 which can sustain vehicle impact and prevent the
vehicle from crossing the railroad 4. A detailed description of the
railroad crossing 2 is provided below.
[0051] As can best be seen in FIG. 2, the approach 8 includes a
pair of curved walls 12a, 12b through which a lane 16 of the road 6
passes. The outer wall 12b of the approach 8 includes visible
markings to facilitate visual detection of the approach 8. The
outer wall 12b includes a concrete backing 14 and a cushion 16
mounted to the backing 14 to facilitate cushioning of the vehicle
upon impact.
[0052] Returning to FIG. 1, the road 6 includes two separated
traffic lanes 16a, 16b in which vehicles travel in opposite
directions (shown by arrows). The separation of the lanes 16 deters
the vehicle from being driven from one lane 16a and into the other
lane 16b in an attempt to circumvent the barrier 10.
[0053] One of the lanes 16a includes the approach 8 which curves
away from the other lane 16b. The other lane 16b includes another
curved approach to the railroad 4 and the crossing 2 further
includes a roundabout 18 at an entrance to the other curved
approach. Each curved approach 8 is generally s-shaped and each
lane 16 defines a brightly painted warning zone 20 coincident with
the railroad 4.
[0054] The crossing 2 further includes a speed arrestor bed 22 for
retarding the speed of the vehicle entering the arrestor bed 22
from the curved approach 8. As can best be seen in FIG. 2, an
upright wall 24 extends adjacent the arrestor bed 22 and includes
visible markings to facilitate visual detection of the arrestor bed
22. The upright wall 24 can include a cushion to facilitate
cushioning of the vehicle upon impact with the wall 24. The
arrestor bed 22 includes a pit 26 filled with sand, gravel or other
loose aggregate. The pit 26 increases in depth away from the curved
approach 8 thereby increasing retardation of speed of the
vehicle.
[0055] Returning to FIG. 1, the crossing 2 further includes an
access road 28 extending from the curved approach 8 and adjacent
the arrestor bed 22. A towing vehicle can travel along the access
road 28 to gain access to a vehicle located in the arrestor bed 22.
The crossing 2 further includes a brightly painted road
interconnection 30 for interconnecting the curved approach 8 and
the arrestor bed 22.
[0056] Returning to FIG. 2, the barrier 10 is arranged to deflect
or guide the vehicle from the approach 8 and into the arrestor bed
22 upon impact. The barrier 10 includes a pivotally mounted flipper
32 (or cantilevered arm) which is able to pivot horizontally from
the open configuration of FIG. 2a to the closed configuration of
FIG. 2b, and visa versa. The barrier 10 further includes a
pivotally mounted locking mechanism 34 for firmly locking a free
end of the flipper 32. The flipper 32 tapers both toward its free
end, and upwardly to define a sloping impact face.
[0057] Turning now to FIG. 3, the railroad crossing 2 includes a
control system 36 for controlling the vehicle barrier 10. The
control system 36 includes a train sensor 31 located on the
railroad 4 for sensing the train approaching the railroad crossing
2 along the railroad 4. The train sensor 31 is positioned at a
predetermined location on the railroad 4, so that the sensor 31 is
triggered at a predetermined time before the train reaches the
crossing based upon the mandated approach speed (i.e. speed limit)
of the train through the crossing 2. The train sensor 31 may sense
the train by detecting a short circuit between tracks at the
predetermined location.
[0058] A controller 38 is provided for controlling the barrier 10
to prevent the vehicle from crossing the railroad 4 responsive to
sensing the train approaching the railroad crossing 2. The
controller 38 contains a software product 40 in resident memory. In
turn, the software product 40 contains computer readable
instructions for execution by a processor 42 of the controller 38
to control the barrier 10 and perform other tasks indicated below.
The processor 42 is interfaced to a storage device (e.g. hard disc)
containing a database 37 which includes, among other data relating
to the control system 36, behavioral profiles relating to vehicles
which regularly travel along the road 6. Each behavioral profile
can be used in determining a risk of a collision between the train
and the associated vehicle. The database 37 also includes a number
of possible messages to be displayed to the vehicle based upon
corresponding determined risk, with the severity of the messages
increasing with risk of collision.
[0059] The control system 36 further includes a train speed sensor
29 coupled to the controller 38 and for sensing the speed of the
train approaching the railroad crossing 2 along the railroad 4. The
control system 36 further includes an arrestor bed sensor 33
coupled to the controller 38 and for sensing when the vehicle has
entered the speed arrestor bed 22. The arrestor bed sensor 33 can
include a pressure plate sensor or a beam sensor. In addition, the
control system 36 further includes a road camera 35 for capturing
images of the vehicle approaching the railroad crossing 2 along the
road 6.
[0060] The railroad crossing 2 further includes boom gates 44 for
extending across the road prior to each vehicle impact barrier 10
(see FIG. 1). The boom gates 44 are actuated by the controller 38
responsive to sensing the train approaching the railroad crossing
2. The control system 36 further includes an electronic display 46
located adjacent the road 6 and for displaying a warning message
(e.g. CROSSING AHEAD) to the vehicle. In addition, the control
system 36 further includes a vehicle speed sensor 48 for sensing
the approach speed of the vehicle along the road 6. The speed
sensor 48 can be connected to the controller 38 either via a
wireless RF link or via a cable. The controller 38 can configure
the display 46 to display another sterner warning message of
increased severity (e.g. DANGER--SLOW DOWN) responsive to detecting
that the vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined threshold and that
the vehicle is likely to collide with the train.
[0061] The control system 36 further includes a RF transceiver 49
coupled to the controller 38 and for sending a status message
relating to the status of the crossing 2 to a railroad monitoring
facility. In addition, the status message may include an alarm
signal advising that the vehicle has entered the speed arrestor bed
22 and can be sent to a emergency service facility (e.g. police,
ambulance, etc).
[0062] Typically, the vehicle enters the curved approach 8 to the
railroad 4 and is encouraged to slow down. The controller 38 closes
the barriers 10 and lowers the boom gates 44 to prevent the vehicle
from crossing the railroad 4 responsive to sensing the train
approaching the railroad crossing 2.
[0063] In the event that the vehicle does not or cannot stop before
reaching the crossing 2, the vehicle is prevented from crossing the
railroad 4. In this manner, the vehicle may initially impact upon
the curved wall 12b, the barrier 10 spanning the lane 16 and then
the arrestor bed wall 24 when traveling along the road 6, the road
interconnection 30 and the arrestor bed 22. The boom gates 44,
which effectively form a visual deterrent only, are not able to
typically sustain the vehicle impact and may be destroyed.
[0064] A person skilled in the art will appreciate that many
embodiments and variations can be made without departing from the
ambit of the present invention.
[0065] For example, the barrier 10 and walls 12, 24 may include a
variety of different materials including steel, concrete or any
other like high strength material.
[0066] In another embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the barrier 10
includes a pivotally mounted gate 50 forming part of the road 6.
The barrier 10 includes an actuator 52 controlled by controller 38
for pivoting the gate 50 from a non-obstructive configuration (FIG.
4a) to an obstructive configuration (FIG. 4b), and visa versa. In
practice, the actuator 52 is located within a cavity 54 beneath the
road 6.
[0067] In yet another embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the barrier 10
includes a gantry 60 to which an impact gate 62 is pivotally
mounted. The barrier 10 includes an actuator controlled by
controller 38 for pivoting the gate 62 from an obstructive
configuration (FIG. 5a) to a non-obstructive configuration (FIG.
5b), and visa versa. Turning to FIG. 6, the gate 62 is hollow and
defines internal webbing 64 and corrugations 66 for strengthening
the gate 62. The gate 62 defines an inclined impact face 68 which
is inclined from vertical when in the obstructive configuration
(FIG. 5a).
[0068] In yet another embodiment, the barrier 10 may include a pair
of double swinging gates. In yet another embodiment, the barrier 10
can include retractable bollards positioned across the road 6.
[0069] In the preferred embodiments described above, controller 38
controlled the barrier 10 to impede the vehicle from crossing the
railroad 4 subsequent to sensing the train approaching the railroad
crossing 2. In another embodiment, the control system 38 further
includes a vehicle sensor 70 (FIG. 3) for sensing the vehicle
approaching the railroad crossing 2 along the road 6. The vehicle
sensor 70 is positioned at a predetermined location on the road 6,
so that the sensor 70 is triggered at a predetermined time before
the vehicle reaches the crossing 2 based upon the mandated approach
speed (i.e. speed limit) of the vehicle through the crossing 2. The
vehicle sensor 70 can be connected to the controller 38 either via
a wireless RF link or via a cable. The controller 38 is configured
to control the barrier 10 responsive to sensing the approach of
both the train and the vehicle approaching the railroad crossing
2.
[0070] FIG. 7 shows a method 80 for displaying a warning message to
a vehicle approaching the railroad crossing 2.
[0071] At step 82, the controller 38 interfaced to train sensor 31
senses the train approaching the railroad crossing 2 along the
railroad 4. The controller 38 actuates the boom gates 44 and moves
the vehicle impact barrier 10 to impede the vehicle from crossing
the railroad 4 responsive to sensing the train approaching the
crossing 2.
[0072] At step 84, the controller 38 interfaced to vehicle sensor
70 senses the vehicle approaching the railroad crossing 2 along the
road 6. The controller 38 also captures an image of the vehicle
with road camera 35 responsive to sensing the vehicle approaching
the crossing 2.
[0073] At step 86, the controller 38 identifies the vehicle by
performing image processing of the captured image to electronically
determine the vehicle's number plate.
[0074] At step 88, the controller 38 determines a risk of a
collision between the train and the identified vehicle. The risk is
determined using any one or more of: the speed of the vehicle
sensed with the vehicle speed sensor 48, the speed of the train
sensed with the train speed sensor 29 and the determined identity
of the vehicle which corresponds with a behavioral profile of the
vehicle stored in database 37. In one embodiment, the risk relates
to the likelihood that the vehicle and train will be simultaneously
co-incident on the crossing 2 based upon their sensed speeds. The
risk may be determined using fuzzy logic, expert systems or other
like adaptive control techniques. The displayed message is
personalised to include an indicator of the vehicles number
plate.
[0075] At step 90, the controller 38 determines a warning message
to be displayed to the vehicle on display 46 based upon the
determined risk. As previously discussed, the database 37 includes
a number of possible messages to be displayed to the vehicle based
upon corresponding determined risk, with the severity of the
messages increasing with risk. The controller 38 then displays the
determined warning on display 46.
[0076] At step 92, the controller 38 interfaced to arrestor bed
sensor 33 senses the vehicle has entered the speed arrestor bed
22.
[0077] At step 94, the controller 38 interfaced to transceiver 49
sends the status message relating to the status of the crossing 2
to both the railroad monitoring facility and the emergency service
facility. The status message includes the alarm signal advising
that the vehicle has entered the speed arrestor bed 22.
[0078] In one embodiment, the controller 38 dynamically estimates
the train and vehicle arrival times at the crossing 2 using the
positions and speeds of the train and vehicle. The risk of a
collision between train and vehicle can be determined in accordance
with the difference between the estimated vehicle and train arrival
times as indicated in the table below.
TABLE-US-00001 |vehicle arrival time - risk train arrival time|
warning message Low >30 seconds CROSSING AHEAD Medium 15 to 30
seconds DANGER - SLOW DOWN High <15 seconds COLLISION
IMMINENT
[0079] The controller 38 can select a warning message to display
based upon the determined risk from the possible warning messages
stored in the internal database 37 as indicated in the table
above.
[0080] In compliance with the statute, the invention has been
described in language more or less specific to structural or
methodical features. It is to be understood that the invention is
not limited to specific features shown or described since the means
herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention
into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its
forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended
claims appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art.
* * * * *