FIELD

Embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein relate to systems that inspect routes for deviations in shape of the route or other damage to the route. Other embodiments relate to systems for vehicle control based on route inspection.

BACKGROUND

Vehicles traveling on routes depend on the routes having a defined or consistent shape to ensure safe travel on the routes. As one example, rails of a track on which a rail vehicle moves need to have a defined shape that is free or substantially free (e.g., within manufacturing or installation tolerances) of deviations from the defined shape. Thermal misalignments are one example of misaligned rails in a track that can present a hazard to an approaching rail vehicle. These misalignments can include sun kinks, as the misalignments develop along the route during hot weather conditions when conductive components of the route (e.g., a rail) expand. The expansion creates compressive tension in the metal component, which causes the rail to buckle or otherwise become misaligned.

A thermal misalignment in a rail can include a lateral bending of the rail that is outside of a straight shape or designated bend in the rail.FIGS. 1 through 4illustrate examples of such thermal misalignments in rails of a track. A length of a thermal misalignment that poses problems for travel of a rail vehicle may be on the order of forty to sixty feet, or twelve to eighteen meters (e.g., along the length of the track). Such a thermal misalignment can cause the rail to deviate from the intended or previous location of the rail (e.g., the location or shape of the rail as previously installed on a surface or as previously repaired) by as much as thirty inches or more (e.g., seventy-six centimeters).

Detection of these types of thermal misalignments in a route can aid in ensuring safe travel of vehicles over the route.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

In one embodiment, a method includes obtaining first image data of a route at a location of interest from a first optical sensor disposed onboard a vehicle system moving along the route. The first image data depicts the route at the location of interest prior to passage of the vehicle system over the route at the location of interest. The method also includes obtaining second image data of the route at the location of interest from a second optical sensor disposed onboard the vehicle system. The second image data depicts the route at the location of interest after passage of the vehicle system over the route at the location of interest. The method also includes determining whether a change in the route has occurred at the location of interest by comparing the first image data with the second image data.

In one embodiment, a system includes a controller configured to obtain first image data of a route at a location of interest from a first optical sensor disposed onboard a vehicle system moving along the route. The first image data depicts the route at the location of interest prior to passage of the vehicle system over the route at the location of interest. The controller also is configured to obtain second image data of the route at the location of interest from a second optical sensor disposed onboard the vehicle system. The second image data depicts the route at the location of interest after passage of the vehicle system over the route at the location of interest. The controller is configured to determine whether a change in the route has occurred at the location of interest by comparing the first image data with the second image data.

In one embodiment, a system includes a controller configured to examine image data of a common segment of a route obtained before and after passage of a vehicle system over the common segment of the route. The controller is configured to determine one or more differences between the image data and to determine that the common segment of the route is damaged by passage of the vehicle system based on the one or more differences that are determined.

