Systems and Methods for Automatic Tuning of Classification Yard Parameters

The present application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/658,386, filed on May 8, 2024, the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference for all purposes.

The present invention relates generally to classification yard control systems, and more particularly to automatic tuning of parameters for controlling operations of a classification yard.

Transportation systems have allowed us to travel distances and move things that might otherwise be impossible. In particular, trains allow us to transport passengers and freight long distances, or short distances as might be desired or needed. Typically, a train may include one or more locomotive engines that may be configured to pull and/or push one or more train cars. The trains may be put together or assembled in a classification yard. In typical operations of a classification yard, hundreds or thousands of train cars are routed or moved through marshalling tracks to route each of the train cars to their corresponding train. For example, a first train car may be routed to a first train destined for a first city, whereas a second train car may be routed to a second train destined for a second city. In this manner, a classification yard may allow train cars destined for different destinations to be routed to the appropriate train that is to take the train cars to their destinations.

One particular implementation of a classification yard is the hump yard. A hump yard may refer to an area configured to route the train cars along a network of marshalling tracks using gravity to respectively-assigned trains. In this manner, the hump yard may enable operators to assemble trains by routing the train cars to their assigned train. Typically, hump yards consist of an elevated area (e.g., a hump, which may be artificial or natural, such as a hill, mount, etc.) along which a track section is run. The track section may include an approach section, a top of the hump or crest, and a release area, which typically branches out into multiple marshalling tracks. Each of the marshalling tracks may eventually lead to a destination train to which the various train cars may be routed using the marshalling tracks. In operation, a stock train including the train cars to be marshalled to their assigned train may be pushed by a hump push engine at a set speed along the approach section to the crest of the hump. As the train cars roll past the apex (e.g., the crest) of the hump, gravity may begin pulling the railroad cars towards the bottom of the hump causing individual railroad cars, or groups of railroad cars, also referred to as a cut, to separate from the stock train and to coast to the release area at a release speed. The separated railroad cars, or cut, may coast at the release speed (and may decelerate or accelerate depending on the layout of the marshalling tracks) through the marshalling tracks at which point the route of the cut through the marshalling tracks may be controlled by switching devices to route the cut through the appropriate marshalling tracks to the respectively assigned train. The cut may arrive at the respectively assigned train at a coupling point with a coupling speed enough to ensure that the cut engages with the existing train cars of the train being assembled. The operations continue with additional cuts being routed through the hump yard marshalling tracks as appropriate or necessary. Once the train is fully assembled, the train is pulled out of the marshalling tracks and eventually travels to its destination.

In the hump yard example above, ensuring that the speed of a cut (e.g., the speed of the cut as it travels through the marshalling tracks and/or the coupling speed of the cut when it reaches the coupling point) is appropriate is very important in order to avoid accidental damage to equipment, train cars, and/or the freight itself. For example, an overly high coupling speed may cause the cut to couple with the destination train at a high speed and may cause damage to the existing train cars (e.g., the train cars already coupled to the destination train), to itself, or to the freight (e.g., the freight being carried by one or more of the train cars in the cut or the freight in the existing train cars of the destination train). In another example, an overly low release speed may not be sufficient to ensure that the cut reaches the coupling point, as the only source of power to the cut during the marshalling process is gravity and as such, the cut is not able to accelerate beyond what gravity provides. If the friction between the cut and the marshalling tracks, and/or other characteristics of the marshalling track or train cars of the cut, is such that the cut decelerates too much, the cut may not have enough speed or energy to reach the coupling point.

Furthermore, the speed of various cuts through the marshalling tracks is important and it may also have an impact on the system's ability to maintain a distance between various cuts that may roll onto the various marshalling tracks, which is very important to prevent the rolling cuts from colliding with each other, as well as to ensure that the switches may be reset in time to marshal the next cut to the appropriate train. For example, if two consecutive cuts assigned to different marshalling tracks are released from the top of the hump too close together, there may not be sufficient time to reset the switch after the first cut is diverted to its respective marshalling track to ensure that the second cut is diverted to the appropriate marshalling track.

To address some of these issues, current hump yard systems provide mechanisms to regulate the speed of the hump push engine as it pushes train cars up the hump. In this manner, the speed of the hump push engine may be controlled to control the release speed of a cut. For example, a fast-moving hump push engine may cause the cuts to be released with a high release speed, and a low-moving hump push engine may cause the cuts to be released with a low release speed. Moreover, a fast-moving hump push engine may cause the cuts to release close to each other, while a slower moving hump push engine may cause the cuts to release with more distance between each other. In some implementations, further controls for the cut speeds (e.g., release speed and/or coupling speed) may be provided by the use of retarders. Retarders operation by slowing down a train car as it traverses over the retarder. A typical retarder applies a pressure against one or more wheels of a train car (e.g., using a braking element, such as a brake pad, etc.), which may cause the train car to slow down. Put another way, the retarder may remove energy (e.g., potential energy) of the train car as it moves through a marshalling track, which may cause the train car to slow down. The amount of energy, or speed, removed from a cut by a retarder may depend on the amount of pressure applied by the retarder. For example, a higher pressure may cause more energy, or speed, to be removed from a cut than a lower pressure. In this manner, retarders may be used to further control the speed of a cut as it travels through the marshalling tracks.

In current implementations, determining parameters for the various controls of the speed of the cut (e.g., hump engine speed, amount of energy to be removed by retarders, etc.) may depend on the rolling characteristics of a cut and/or the marshalling track. For example, a cut that is able to roll more easily over a particular marshalling track may require more energy to be removed by retarders than another cut that may not be able to roll as easily in order to ensure an appropriate and/or desired coupling speed. Current implementations may include functionality to determine the rolling characteristics for train cars, cuts, and/or tracks using various parameters (e.g., including coefficients) applied to equations that may provide insight into how easily or not easily a cut may move through the marshalling tracks. Using this information, a system may then be able to predict a speed at which a cut may move through the marshalling tracks at various points of a route, which may enable the system to ensure that the appropriate controls are applied (e.g., retarders and/or hump engine speed) to ensure that the right coupling speed is reached.

However, currently, obtaining the right values for the various parameters or coefficients presents a great challenge, as the rolling characteristics of a cut through a particular marshalling track may be affected by a great number of factors, which may vary depending on many conditions (e.g., time, weather, date, etc.). For example, conditions of a classification yard change with time. For example, devices may degrade, be repaired, new devices may be added, the track or tracks within a segment may become worn out, damaged, cracked, etc., the grade of a track section may change its grade, such as by normal sinking, which may cause the grade to increase and thus may cause cuts traveling through it to gain speed due to increases potential energy, prevailing weather conditions may change, etc. These changes in the conditions of a classification yard may affect the amount of energy or speed that may be gained or lost by a cut traveling through a point in the route of the cut (e.g., a segment and/or device). Put another way, the changes in the real-world conditions of the classification yard may mean that predictions associated with a point in the route of a cut made using the current tuning coefficients of the point may not accurately reflect what may happen when the cut actually travels through the point

Even when parameters or coefficients values have been obtained, the values may not be perfectly tuned to current conditions (e.g., environmental, track, and/or cut conditions) and may not accurately predict the rolling characteristics of the cut through the particular track and thus, may not accurately predict the speed of the cut through the marshalling track. The inability to accurately predict the speed of the cut through the marshalling track may affect the whole system negatively. Thus, current systems are not robust enough to ensure that the various parameters or coefficients affecting the speed of a cut through the marshalling tracks are accurately attuned to the various conditions.

The present disclosure achieves technical advantages as systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media that provide functionality for automatic tuning of parameters for controlling operations of a classification yard.

The present disclosure provides for a system integrated into a practical application with meaningful limitations as a system with functionality for automatically tuning control parameters that are used for controlling operations of a classification yard. In particular embodiments, the present disclosure provides functionality for automatically tuning coefficients (e.g., tuning coefficients) that may be used to calculate or predict the movement (e.g., speed and/or arrival time) of a cut through a segment or device. Predicting an accurate speed and/or an arrival time at a segment or device of a classification track is of utmost importance as any deviation from an actual speed and/or arrival time may result in catastrophic consequences. To that end, the present disclosure provides feature that may enable a system to refine the tuning of a classification yard by providing a mechanism to automatically tune, or adjust, the tuning coefficients of a segment or device. In embodiments, tuning the coefficients of a segment or device may include adjusting the coefficients according to embodiments, herein. In some embodiments, tuning and adjusting may be used interchangeably herein. In embodiments, a first set of predictions for car events may be made using current tuning coefficients. After the car events have occurred and real-word measurements related to the car events has been collected, analysis (e.g., regression analysis and/or machine learning analysis) may be performed on the real-world measurements to obtain a set of candidate tuning coefficients. A second set of predictions for the car events that have already occurred may be made using the candidate tuning coefficients. The first set of predictions and the second set of predictions may be compared against the real-world measurements of the car events to determine which set of predictions better predicts what really happened during the car events. If the first set of predictions is found to better approximate the real-world measurements at the segment or device, the current tuning coefficients for the segment or device are maintained and the candidate tuning coefficients are rejected for the segment or device. On the other hand, if the second set of predictions is found to better approximate the real-world measurements at the segment or device, the candidate tuning coefficients are accepted and the current tuning coefficients for the segment or device are replaced by the candidate tuning coefficients. In this manner, the present disclosure provides a system with functionality that allows the system to automatically adjust the tuning coefficients to real-world conditions.

The present disclosure solves the technological problem of a lack of functionality in current systems to dynamically adapt the tuning of a classification yard to changing conditions. For example, in current systems, as real-world conditions on a classification changes (e.g., a device may degrade or be repaired, a segment of the track may degrade and thus may create more friction with the cuts traveling through it, a section of a track may change its grade, such as by normal sinking, which may cause the grade to increase and thus may cause cuts traveling through it to gain speed due to increases potential energy, weather may change, etc.), the tuning coefficients used to predict the speed and/or arrival times of cuts at various points of a route throughout the marshalling tracks may not be as accurate because of the changed conditions. In these cases, predictions made using the tuning coefficients may not accurately reflect what may happen when the cut travels its route to its destination train. As such, accidents and/or other issues may happen. A system implemented in accordance with the present disclosure may be flexible and responsive to the changing conditions of the classification yard and may automatically adjust the tuning coefficients to the changing conditions, which may allow for a system that is more robust than existing systems, which are unable to adapt to changing conditions. The technological solutions provided herein, and missing from conventional systems, are more than a mere application of a manual process to a computerized environment, but rather include functionality to implement a technical process to replace or supplement current manual solutions or non-existing solutions for tuning classification yards. In doing so, the present disclosure goes well beyond a mere application the manual process to a computer. Accordingly, the claims herein necessarily provide a technological solution that overcomes a technological problem.

In various embodiments, the system comprises one or more processors interconnected with a memory module, capable of executing machine-readable instructions. These instructions include, but are not limited to, the steps outlined in any flow diagram, system diagram, block diagram, and/or process diagram disclosed herein, as well as steps corresponding to any functionality detailed herein. In embodiments, the execution of these machine-readable instructions may involve initiating multiple concurrent computer processes. Each process of the concurrent computer process may be configured to handle or process a designated subset or portion of the of the machine-readable instructions. This division of tasks enables parallel processing, multi-processing, and/or multi-threading, enabling multiple operations to be conducted or executed concurrently rather than sequentially. This functionality for spawning a plurality of concurrent processes to manage separate portions of the machine-readable instructions markedly increases the overall speed of execution of the machine-readable instructions. By leveraging parallel or concurrent processing, the time required to complete a set or subset of program steps is substantially reduced (e.g., when compared to execution without concurrent or parallel processing). This efficiency gain not only accelerates the processing speed but also optimizes the use of processor resources, leading to an improved performance of the computing system. This enhancement in computational efficiency constitutes a significant technological improvement, as it enhances the functional capabilities of the processors and the system as a whole, representing a practical and tangible technological advancement. The result of this concurrent processing functionality results in an improvement in the functioning of the one or more processor and/or the computing system, and thus, represents a practical application.

In embodiments, the present disclosure includes techniques for training models (e.g., machine-learning models, artificial intelligence models, algorithmic constructs, etc.) for performing or executing a designated task or a series of tasks (e.g., one or more features of steps or tasks of processes, systems, and/or methods disclosed in the present disclosure). The disclosed techniques provide a systematic approach for the training of such models to enhance performance, accuracy, and efficiency in their respective applications. In embodiments, the techniques for training the models may include collecting a set of data from a database, conditioning the set of data to generate a set of conditioned data, and/or generating a set of training data including the collected set of data and/or the conditioned set of data. In embodiments, that model may undergo a training phase wherein the model may be exposed to the set of training data, such as through an iterative processes of learning in which the model adjusts and optimizes its parameters and algorithms to improve its performance on the designated task or series of tasks. This training phase may configure the model to develop the capability to perform its intended function with a high degree of accuracy and efficiency. In embodiments, the conditioning of the set of data may include modification, transformation, and/or the application of targeted algorithms to prepare the data for training. The conditioning step may be configured to ensure that the set of data is in an optimal state for training the model, resulting in an enhancement of the effectiveness of the model's learning process. These features and techniques not only qualify as patent-eligible features but also introduce substantial improvements to the field of computational modeling. These features are not merely theoretical but represent an integration of a concepts into a practical application that significantly enhance the functionality, reliability, and efficiency of the models developed through these processes.

In embodiments, the present disclosure includes techniques for generating a notification of an event that includes generating an alert that includes information specifying the location of a source of data associated with the event, formatting the alert into data structured according to an information format, and/or transmitting the formatted alert over a network to a device associated with a receiver based upon a destination address and a transmission schedule. In embodiments, receiving the alert enables a connection from the device associated with the receiver to the data source over the network when the device is connected to the source to retrieve the data associated with the event and causes a viewer application (e.g., a graphical user interface (GUI)) to be activated to display the data associated with the event. These features represent patent eligible features, as these features amount to significantly more than an abstract idea. These features, when considered as an ordered combination, amount to significantly more than simply organizing and comparing data. The features address the Internet-centric challenge of alerting a receiver with time sensitive information. This is addressed by transmitting the alert over a network to activate the viewer application, which enables the connection of the device of the receiver to the source over the network to retrieve the data associated with the event. These are meaningful limitations that add more than generally linking the use of an abstract idea (e.g., the general concept of organizing and comparing data) to the Internet, because they solve an Internet-centric problem with a solution that is necessarily rooted in computer technology. These features, when taken as an ordered combination, provide unconventional steps that confine the abstract idea to a particular useful application. Therefore, these features represent patent eligible subject matter.

In embodiments, one or more operations and/or functionality of components described herein can be distributed across a plurality of computing systems (e.g., personal computers (PCs), user devices, servers, processors, etc.), such as by implementing the operations over a plurality of computing systems. This distribution can be configured to facilitate the optimal load balancing of traffic (e.g., requests, responses, notifications, etc.), which can encompass a wide spectrum of network traffic or data transactions. By leveraging a distributed operational framework, a system implemented in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure can effectively manage and mitigate potential bottlenecks, ensuring equitable processing distribution and preventing any single device from shouldering an excessive burden. This load balancing approach significantly enhances the overall responsiveness and efficiency of the network, markedly reducing the risk of system overload and ensuring continuous operational uptime. The technical advantages of this distributed load balancing can extend beyond mere efficiency improvements. It introduces a higher degree of fault tolerance within the network, where the failure of a single component does not precipitate a systemic collapse, markedly enhancing system reliability. Additionally, this distributed configuration promotes a dynamic scalability feature, enabling the system to adapt to varying levels of demand without necessitating substantial infrastructural modifications. The integration of advanced algorithmic strategies for traffic distribution and resource allocation can further refine the load balancing process, ensuring that computational resources are utilized with optimal efficiency and that data flow is maintained at an optimal pace, regardless of the volume or complexity of the requests being processed. Moreover, the practical application of these disclosed features represents a significant technical improvement over traditional centralized systems. Through the integration of the disclosed technology into existing networks, entities can achieve a superior level of service quality, with minimized latency, increased throughput, and enhanced data integrity. The distributed approach of embodiments can not only bolster the operational capacity of computing networks but can also offer a robust framework for the development of future technologies, underscoring its value as a foundational advancement in the field of network computing.

To aid in the load balancing, the computing system of embodiments of the present disclosure can spawn multiple processes and threads to process data traffic concurrently. The speed and efficiency of the computing system can be greatly improved by instantiating more than one process or thread to implement the claimed functionality. However, one skilled in the art of programming will appreciate that use of a single process or thread can also be utilized and is within the scope of the present disclosure.

It is an object of the disclosure to provide a system for automatic tuning of control parameters for operations of a classification yard. It is a further object of the disclosure to provide a method of automatically tuning control parameters for operations of a classification yard, and a computer-based tool for automatically tuning control parameters for operations of a classification yard. These and other objects are provided by the present disclosure, including at least the following embodiments.

In one particular embodiment, a method of automatically tuning control parameters for operations of a classification yard is provided. The method includes generating a set of production predictions associated with one or more car events at a first point of a route within the classification yard using a production set of control parameters associated with the first point of the route. In embodiments, the production set of control parameters may include one or more parameters associated with the rollability of one or more railcar cuts through the first point of the route. The method further includes obtaining actual measurements associated with the one or more car events at the first point of the route, estimating a candidate set of control parameters associated with the first point of the route based on the actual measurements associated with the one or more car events at the first point of the route, generating a set of backoffice predictions associated with the one or more car events at the first point of the route using the candidate set of control parameters associated with the first point of the route, comparing the set of production predictions associated with the one or more car events at the first point of the route and the set of backoffice predictions associated with the one or more car events at the first point of the route to determine which of the production set of control parameters or the candidate set of control parameters for the first point of the route yields more accurate predictions for car events at the first point of the route, and determining to replace the production set of control parameters for the first point of the route with the candidate set of control parameters in response to a determination that the candidate set of control parameters yields more accurate predictions for car events at the first point of the route than the production set of control parameters.

In another embodiment, a system for automatically tuning control parameters for operations of a classification yard is provided. The system comprises at least one processor and a memory operably coupled to the at least one processor and storing processor-readable code that, when executed by the at least one processor, is configured to perform operations. The operations include generating a set of production predictions associated with one or more car events at a first point of a route within the classification yard using a production set of control parameters associated with the first point of the route. In embodiments, the production set of control parameters may include one or more parameters associated with the rollability of one or more railcar cuts through the first point of the route. The operations further include obtaining actual measurements associated with the one or more car events at the first point of the route, estimating a candidate set of control parameters associated with the first point of the route based on the actual measurements associated with the one or more car events at the first point of the route, generating a set of backoffice predictions associated with the one or more car events at the first point of the route using the candidate set of control parameters associated with the first point of the route, comparing the set of production predictions associated with the one or more car events at the first point of the route and the set of backoffice predictions associated with the one or more car events at the first point of the route to determine which of the production set of control parameters or the candidate set of control parameters for the first point of the route yields more accurate predictions for car events at the first point of the route, and determining to replace the production set of control parameters for the first point of the route with the candidate set of control parameters in response to a determination that the candidate set of control parameters yields more accurate predictions for car events at the first point of the route than the production set of control parameters.

In yet another embodiment, a computer-based tool for automatically tuning control parameters for operations of a classification yard is provided. The computer-based tool including non-transitory computer readable media having stored thereon computer code which, when executed by a processor, causes a computing device to perform operations. The operations include generating a set of production predictions associated with one or more car events at a first point of a route within the classification yard using a production set of control parameters associated with the first point of the route. In embodiments, the production set of control parameters may include one or more parameters associated with the rollability of one or more railcar cuts through the first point of the route. The operations further include obtaining actual measurements associated with the one or more car events at the first point of the route, estimating a candidate set of control parameters associated with the first point of the route based on the actual measurements associated with the one or more car events at the first point of the route, generating a set of backoffice predictions associated with the one or more car events at the first point of the route using the candidate set of control parameters associated with the first point of the route, comparing the set of production predictions associated with the one or more car events at the first point of the route and the set of backoffice predictions associated with the one or more car events at the first point of the route to determine which of the production set of control parameters or the candidate set of control parameters for the first point of the route yields more accurate predictions for car events at the first point of the route, and determining to replace the production set of control parameters for the first point of the route with the candidate set of control parameters in response to a determination that the candidate set of control parameters yields more accurate predictions for car events at the first point of the route than the production set of control parameters.

The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention.

It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale and that the disclosed embodiments are sometimes illustrated diagrammatically and in partial views. In certain instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of the disclosed methods and apparatuses or which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that this disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.

The disclosure presented in the following written description and the various features and advantageous details thereof, are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting examples included in the accompanying drawings and as detailed in the description. Descriptions of well-known components have been omitted to not unnecessarily obscure the principal features described herein. The examples used in the following description are intended to facilitate an understanding of the ways in which the disclosure can be implemented and practiced. A person of ordinary skill in the art would read this disclosure to mean that any suitable combination of the functionality or exemplary embodiments below could be combined to achieve the subject matter claimed. The disclosure includes either a representative number of species falling within the scope of the genus or structural features common to the members of the genus so that one of ordinary skill in the art can recognize the members of the genus. Accordingly, these examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

A person of ordinary skill in the art would understand that any system claims presented herein encompass all of the elements and limitations disclosed therein, and as such, require that each system claim be viewed as a whole. Any reasonably foreseeable items functionally related to the claims are also relevant. The Examiner, after having obtained a thorough understanding of the disclosure and claims of the present application has searched the prior art as disclosed in patents and other published documents, i.e., nonpatent literature. Therefore, the issuance of this patent is evidence that: the elements and limitations presented in the claims are enabled by the specification and drawings, the issued claims are directed toward patent-eligible subject matter, and the prior art fails to disclose or teach the claims as a whole, such that the issued claims of this patent are patentable under the applicable laws and rules of this country.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to systems and techniques that provide functionality for automatic tuning of parameters for controlling operations of a classification yard. In particular embodiments, the parameters may include parameters that may affect or specify how well a cut may roll through a segment of a route through marshalling tracks of a classification yard, which may be an indication of the energy or speed that the cut may gain or lose while traveling through the segment, and may include tuning coefficients for particular segments or devices, such as rolling resistance coefficients, temperature coefficients, friction coefficients, regression coefficients, switch coefficients, retarder coefficients, detector coefficients, angle coefficients, etc. In embodiments, automatic tuning of the control parameters may include generation of a set of production predictions associated with one or more car events at a first segment or device of a route. The set of production predictions may include speed and/or arrival time predictions and may be based on a production set of control parameters associated with the first point of the route. In embodiments, actual measurements associated with the one or more car events at the first point of the route may be measured (e.g., in the real-world as the car events occur). In embodiments, a candidate set of control parameters associated with the first point of the route may be generated based on the actual measurements of the one or more car events at the first point of the route. Using the candidate set of control parameters, a set of backoffice predictions associated with the one or more car events at the first point of the route may be generated. The set of production predictions associated with the one or more car events at the first point of the route may be compared against the set of backoffice predictions associated with the one or more car events at the first point of the route to determine whether the production set of control parameters or the candidate set of control parameters for the first point of the route yields more accurate predictions for car events at the first point of the route. A determination to replace the production set of control parameters for the first point of the route with the candidate set of control parameters may be made in response to a determination that the candidate set of control parameters yields more accurate predictions for car events at the first point of the route than the production set of control parameters.

In embodiments, the automatic tuning functionality described herein may represent an iterative process in which car event data may be used to automatically tune control parameters of a classification yard, and the control parameters may be used to control operations (e.g., plan, control, track, report, predict, etc.) of the classification yard that may generate new car events. In that manner, the tuned control parameters may be used to control and/or predict the new car events. The new car events may then be used in a next iteration of automatic tuning to automatically tune the control parameters based on the new car events (and in some embodiments also the previous car events). In this manner, the control parameters may be iteratively tuned as new car events are generated, which may enable a system to adapt to changing conditions.

is a block diagram of an exemplary systemconfigured with capabilities and functionality for automatic tuning of parameters for controlling operations of a classification yard in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in, systemmay include server, classification yard, user terminal, and network. These components, and their individual components, may cooperatively operate to provide functionality in accordance with the discussion herein. For example, in operation according to embodiments, classification yardmay operate various components (e.g., switches, detectors, retarders, etc.) to route cuts through marshalling tracks to their designated trains while ensuring that the coupling speed at the coupling point is as close to a target coupling speed as possible. In embodiments, classification yard may operate to control the speed of the cuts through a route along the marshalling tracks based on various parameters that may affect or describe the rollability of the cut through various segments of the route. For example, production predictions related to the speed of a cut through one or more segments may be obtained based on rollability parameters associated with the one or more segments, which may include environmental, track, and/or cut characteristics, as well as determinations of energy to be removed by retarders along the route. Functionality of servermay provide automatic tuning of one or more of the rollability parameters for the one or more segments. The automatic tuning of the rollability parameters may enable systemto improve the production predictions related to the speed of the cut through the one or more segments. Functionality of servermay provide automatic tuning of one or more of the rollability parameters for the one or more segment by compiling data related to car events associated with the one or more segments, applying analysis to the compiled data to calculate one or more new candidate values for one or more of the rollability parameters for the one or more segments, generating a backoffice prediction based on the one or more new candidate values related to the related to the speed of the cut through the one or more segments, comparing the original production prediction and the backoffice prediction to real-world measurements related to the speed of the cut through the one or more segments to determine which prediction is more accurate with respect to the real-world measurements, and automatically tuning the one or more rollability parameters associated with the one or more segments based on the comparison.

It is noted that the present discussion focuses on a particular application of parameter tuning that involves automatically tuning one or more rollability parameters associated with one or more segments of a route through marshalling tracks of a classification yard (e.g., a train yard, a hump yard, etc.). However, it should be appreciated that the techniques disclosed herein may also be applicable to other applications of parameter tuning. For example, the techniques disclosed herein may also be applicable for automatically tuning parameters related to other operations such as air or water operations, related to other ground vehicles, etc. As such, the discussion herein with respect to automatically tuning one or more rollability parameters associated with one or more segments of a route through marshalling tracks of a classification yard should not be construed as limiting in any way.

It is noted that the functional blocks, and components thereof, of systemof embodiments of the present invention may be implemented using processors, electronics devices, hardware devices, electronics components, logical circuits, memories, software codes, firmware codes, etc., or any combination thereof. For example, one or more functional blocks, or some portion thereof, may be implemented as discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or combinations thereof configured to provide logic for performing the functions described herein. Additionally, or alternatively, when implemented in software, one or more of the functional blocks, or some portion thereof, may comprise code segments operable upon a processor to provide logic for performing the functions described herein.

It is also noted that various components of systemare illustrated as single and separate components. However, it will be appreciated that each of the various illustrated components may be implemented as a single component (e.g., a single application, server module, etc.), may be functional components of a single component, or the functionality of these various components may be distributed over multiple devices/components. In such embodiments, the functionality of each respective component may be aggregated from the functionality of multiple modules residing in a single, or in multiple devices.

It is further noted that functionalities described with reference to each of the different functional blocks of systemdescribed herein is provided for purposes of illustration, rather than by way of limitation and that functionalities described as being provided by different functional blocks may be combined into a single component or may be provided via computing resources disposed in a cloud-based environment accessible over a network, such as one of network.

As noted above, classification yardmay represent a train yard, such as a hump yard, in which train cars are routed or marshalled to a destination track to be coupled to a destination train. In embodiments, classification yardmay include functionality to plan, track, control, and report the movement of the train cars through the marshalling tracks, including the hump approach section, the hump crest, the hump release area, and multiple marshalling tracks.

In a typical operation of classification yard, such as a hump yard, a stock train that includes train cars to be marshalled to their assigned train may be pushed by a hump push engine at a set speed along the approach section of the hump to the crest of the hump. As the train cars roll past the hump crest, gravity may begin pulling the train cars towards the bottom of the hump. In embodiments, the train cars are “cut” from the stock train and the cut is allowed to roll down the hump and is marshalled to the destination train.

As noted above, ensuring that the cut reaches the assigned destination train at the appropriate coupling speed is very important. As such, in embodiments, a cut may be tracked and controlled as the cut moves along the marshalling tracks in classification yard. In particular, the route and the speed of the cut from the hump to its destination track or train may be controlled using various components of classification yard. For example, classification yardmay include various components enabling classification yardto track and/or control the movement of a cut through the marshalling tracks. In embodiments, the various components enabling classification yardto track and/or control the movement and/or speed of a cut through the marshalling tracks may include switches, detectors, and retarders, among other components. In embodiments, the cooperative operation of the various components of classification yardmay enable classification yardto ensure that various cuts traverse the marshalling tracks and arrive at the destination coupling point at the appropriate coupling speed

In embodiments, switchesmay include one or more switches configured to route a train car to a designated track section. For example, a train car may be traveling along a first track and may come upon a switch. The switch may be configured to route the train car from the first track section to a second track section. In some cases, the second track section may be one of a plurality of selectable track sections. For example, the switch may be coupled on one side to the first track, and on the second side to the second and a third track. In this example, the switch may be configured to selectively route the train car from the first track to either the second or the third track. Whether the switch routes the train car from the first track to the second or the third track may depend on the routing status of the switch. For example, the switch may be configured to route to the left, which may route to the second track, or to route to the right, which may route to the third track. In this case, when a cut is destined to a destination track via a route that may travel through the second track, classification yardmay control the route of the cut by activating the switch, if necessary, to route to the second track. This may include leaving the switch in its current routing status (e.g., when the switch's routing status is to route to the second track) or may include activating the switch to another routing status (e.g., when the switch's current routing status does not route to the second track). In this manner, classification yardmay control the route of the cut using switchesto ensure the cut moves through the appropriate route.

In embodiments, switchesmay be laid out at different points along the tracks of classification yard. In particular, each of switchesmay be laid out at points at which a single track may branch out into multiple tracks.

In embodiments, retardersmay include one or more retarders configured with functionality to remove energy from a cut traveling through retarders. For example, each of retardersmay be laid out at different points along the tracks of classification yard. In some embodiments, each of the marshalling tracks of classification yardmay include one or more retarders of retarders. In some embodiments, a main master retarder may be positioned along the main marshalling track (e.g., along the release section) of the hump track. In some embodiments, each segment of a route along the marshalling tracks of classification yardmay be configured with at least one retarder. In some embodiments, each segment of a route along the marshalling tracks of classification yardmay be configured with a master retarder and one or more slave retarders. In these embodiments, the retarders along a segment of a route may cooperatively operate to remove energy from a cut traveling through the segment.

In embodiments, retardersmay be configured to remove energy from a cut traveling through retardersby causing the cut to slow down as it travels through or over retarders. In some embodiments, retardersmay cause a cut to slow down by applying a pressure against one or more wheels of one or more train cars included in the cut, which may cause the cut to slow down. For example, retardersmay press a braking element (e.g., a brake pad, etc.) against one or more wheels of one or more train cars included in the cut causing the cut to slow down. In embodiments, the amount of energy, or speed, removed from a cut by a retarder (e.g., one or more retarders of retarders) may depend on the amount of pressure applied by the retarder against one or more wheels of one or more train cars included in the cut. For example, a higher pressure may cause more energy, or speed, to be removed from a cut than a lower pressure. In this manner, as the energy of a cut is related to the speed of the cut, retardersmay operate to remove energy from a cut. In this manner, classification yardmay control the speed of a cut as it travels through the marshalling tracks using retardersto remove energy from the cut as necessary.

In embodiments, each of retardersmay be configured to remove a maximum amount of energy from a cut during operations. The maximum amount of energy removable from a cut by a particular retarder may depend on the characteristics of the cut (e.g., weight, composition, type of train cars in cut, amount of train cars in cut, etc.), characteristics of the track (e.g., length of track, type of track, etc.), characteristics of the particular retarder (e.g., size, composition, design, power, brake pad materials, pressure capability, etc.), environmental conditions, etc.

In embodiments, detectorsmay include one or more detectors configured to detect a speed of a cut. In embodiments, detectorsmay be laid out at different points along the tracks of classification yard. In this manner, detectorsmay be configured to detect the speed of a cut at various points along the route of the cut through the marshalling tracks of classification yard. For example, one or more detectors of detectorsmay be positioned at points along the tracks of classification yardin a layout configured to enable the one or more detectors to measure the speed of a cut traveling through a retarder (e.g., one or more retarders of retarders). In this manner, detectorsmay be configured to measure an entry speed and/or an exit speed of a cut through a retarder, in which the entry speed may indicate the speed at which the cut entered the retarder and the exit speed may indicate the speed at which the cut exited the retarder.

In another example, one or more detectors of detectorsmay be positioned at points along the tracks of classification yardin a layout configured to enable the one or more detectors to measure the speed of a cut traveling through a segment of a route along which the cut may be traveling through the marshalling tracks of classification yardto reach a destination train. For example, the one or more detectors may be configured to measure an entry speed and/or an exit speed of the cut through one or more segments, in which the entry speed may indicate the speed at which the cut entered the segment and the exit speed may indicate the speed at which the cut exited the segment.

In yet another example, detectorsmay be configured to measure a speed at which a cut may be traveling while passing through one or more switches (e.g., one or more switches from switches). For example, as a cut passes through a switch, one or more detectors of detectorsmay be configured to measure the speed of the cut as it passes through the switch.

In embodiments, detectorsmay be configured to detect the presence of a cut at various points along the route of the cut through the marshalling tracks of classification yard. For example, as a cut passes through a detector a particular time, the detector may detect the presence of the cut at the particular time, and may generate a detection, including an identification of the cut, a timestamp indicating date/time of the detection, the location of the detection (e.g., an identification of the detector), etc.

In some embodiments, detectorsmay include one or more detectors configured to detect one or more wheels, or wheel axles (e.g., one or more wheels, or wheel axles, of a train car, or of a cut, passing through the one or more detectors). In embodiments, detectorsmay detect more than one wheel (or wheel axle) of the train car, or cut, passing through detectors. For example, a train car passing through a detector may include multiple wheel axles. In this case, the detector may be configured to detect one or more of the multiple wheel axles, and in some embodiments may identify the wheel axle detected. For example, for a train car including four wheels, the detector may identify that a detection includes detection of wheel three of four, when the detector detects the third wheel in the train car. In another example, for a cut traveling through the detector that includes two train cars each including four wheels, the detector may identify that a detection includes detection of wheel five of eight, when the detector detects the fifth wheel in the cut. In some embodiments, the wheel detector may detect more than one wheel.

In some embodiments, detectorsmay detect a speed of a cut by detecting a cut at multiple detectors and measuring the time between the detections. For example, a cut may travel through a route along classification yardand may pass a first detector of detectorsat a first time. The first detector may detect the cut (e.g., a wheel of the cut) at the first time. A first detection of the cut may be generated with a timestamp equal to the first time. The cut may continue travelling through the route and may pass a second detector of detectorsat a second time. The second detector may detect the cut (e.g., a wheel of the cut) at the second time. A second detection of the cut may be generated with a timestamp equal to the second time. In embodiments, the speed of the cut may be calculated by comparing the first and the second time, and determining a speed based on the distance between the first and the second detector, which may be a known characteristic of detectors. For example, the distance between the first and second detector traveled by cut over the difference between the first and second detection times may provide the speed of the cut between the first and second detectors.

In some embodiments, detectorsmay detect a speed of a cut by detecting multiple wheels of the cut, measuring the time between the detections, and calculating a speed based, at least in part, on the characteristics of the cut. For example, a cut may travel through a detector of detectors. The detector may detect a first wheel of the cut at a first time. A first detection of a first wheel of the cut may be generated with a timestamp equal to the first time. The detector may detect a second wheel of the cut at a second time. A second detection of the second wheel of the cut may be generated with a timestamp equal to the second time. In embodiments, the speed of the cut may be calculated by comparing the first and the second time, and determining a speed based on the distance between the first and the second wheel, which may be a known characteristic of the cut. For example, the distance between the first and second wheel traveled by cut over the difference between the first and second detection times may provide the speed of the cut over the detector.

In embodiments, classification yardmay include occupancy devices (not shown). Occupancy devices may include track circuits, light detectors, presence detectors, etc., and may be configured to detect occupancy of a track and/or track segment, such as to detect a presence of a vehicle within the track and/or track segment. In some embodiments, occupancy devices may be configured to detect when a track or track segment has been filled to a safe capacity, which may enable a system to prevent overfilling of the track or track segment. In embodiments, occupancy devices may be used in long sections of track that may not include a wheel detector, a retarder, etc. In embodiments, an occupancy device may be configured with predicted on and off times. If the on and off times are exceeded, a segment protected by the occupancy device may be temporarily protected and if the condition persists, the protection may remain. In embodiments, protecting a track or track segment may include routing away from the protected track or track segment, such as in response to a determination that sufficient time exists to route the vehicle away from the protected track or track segment. However, the railroad vehicle may be routed into the protected track segment (e.g., to prevent a side-swipe) in response to a determination that there is not sufficient time to route the vehicle away from the protected track or track segment.

User terminalmay include a mobile device, a smartphone, a tablet computing device, a personal computing device, a laptop computing device, a desktop computing device, a computer system of a vehicle, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smart watch, another type of wired and/or wireless computing device, or any part thereof. In embodiments, user terminalmay provide a user interface that may be configured to provide an interface (e.g., a graphical user interface (GUI)) structured to facilitate an operator interacting with system, e.g., via network, to execute and leverage the features provided by server. In embodiments, the operator may be enabled, e.g., through the functionality of user terminal, to provide configuration parameters that may be used by systemto provide functionality for performing automatic tuning of classification yardoperations, as well as to interact with results (e.g., selection, confirmation, verification of results, etc.). In embodiments, user terminalmay be configured to communicate with other components of system. In embodiments, the functionality of user terminalmay include presenting results of automatic tuning operations to an operator. In embodiments, the results of automatic tuning operations may be presented to an operator via the GIU of user terminal.