Train Traffic Advisor System for Crossing Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solutions do not effectively provide the estimated arrival time and clearance time of trains at railroad crossings to a wider audience, limiting trip planning and traffic management, especially for emergency and security vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A train traffic advising system that communicates train data, including length, location, and speed, to a data center, which then broadcasts this information to subscribers via various channels, enabling them to plan alternate routes and avoid train traffic hazards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If train traffic information is not broadcast to subscribers, then the system complexity remains low, but traffic flow efficiency and safety at railroad crossings deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
A data center acts as an intermediary between trains and subscriber devices. The data center receives train status information (location, speed, length) from trains via communication modules, processes this data to calculate arrival and clearance times at railroad crossings, and then broadcasts the processed train traffic information to multiple subscriber devices simultaneously. This intermediary approach enables efficient information distribution without requiring direct complex connections between each train and every subscriber device.
2Loss of information
If train arrival and clearance time information is provided to subscribers, then trip planning capability improves, but information loss in the system decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculations of train arrival times and clearance times at railroad crossings before subscribers need this information. The data center continuously receives real-time train status information, pre-processes this data to determine when trains will arrive at and clear various crossings, and makes this information available to subscribers in advance. This allows emergency vehicles, freight vehicles, and pedestrians to plan their actions beforehand rather than reacting to last-minute information.
3Reliability
If real-time train status information is collected and broadcast, then traffic safety improves, but the duration of information processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The data center continuously receives train status information from trains and continuously broadcasts updated train traffic information to subscriber devices. Rather than periodic updates, the system maintains a continuous flow of information, ensuring that subscribers always have the most current data about train arrivals and clearances. This continuous operation enhances safety by eliminating information gaps while the automated processing maintains efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and system for providing train traffic advice. According to one embodiment, train status information associated with at least one train is received at a data center hosting a train traffic advisor application. Train crossing location data is stored in a database and retrieved by the train traffic advisor application. Based on the received train status information and the train crossing location data, train traffic information associated with the at least one train is calculated. Subscribing devices are identified by the train traffic advisor application, and the train traffic information is communicated to at least one of the identified subscribing devices.