System for use in illumination of railway feature

Abstract

There is provided a system for use in illuminating a feature of a railway. In one embodiment, a system can include an illumination unit disposed for illumination of a railway feature. The illumination unit can include a light source bank, a solar panel, and a rechargeable battery for energizing the light source bank that is rechargeable utilizing energy collected by the solar energy panel.

1 . A system for illuminating a feature of a railway, the railway including a railroad track having a plurality of ties, the railway having a rail assembly supported on the plurality of ties, the system comprising:
 a first illumination unit for illuminating a first location of interest, an area about the first location of interest including a rail assembly having a certain elevation, the first illumination unit having a first light source disposed at the certain elevation, wherein the first illumination unit is switchable between a first mode in which solar energy collected by the solar panel is utilized for recharging the rechargeable battery, and a second mode in which stored energy stored within a rechargeable battery is utilized for energizing the first light source of the first illumination unit;   a second illumination unit for illuminating a second location of interest, an area about the second location of interest including a rail assembly having a certain elevation, the second illumination unit having a first light source disposed at the certain elevation, wherein the second illumination unit is switchable between a first mode in which solar energy collected by the solar panel is utilized for recharging the rechargeable battery, and a second mode in which stored energy stored within rechargeable battery is utilized for energizing the first light source of the second illumination unit;   wherein the first location of interest and the second location of interest are of different types, and wherein each of the first location of interest and the second location of interest is a location of interest selected from the group consisting of a switch, a foul point, and derail point; and   wherein the first light source of the first illumination unit has a first illumination profile and the first light source of the second illumination unit has a second illumination profile, the second illumination profile being different from the first illumination profile.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first illumination profile and the second illumination profile are differentiated by a wavelength of emission. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first location of interest is a switch and the second location of interest is a foul point. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system includes a third illumination unit for illuminating a third location of interest, an area about the third location of interest including a rail assembly having a certain elevation, the third illumination unit having a light source bank including a first light source disposed at the certain elevation, wherein the third illumination unit is switchable between a first mode in which solar energy collected by the solar panel is utilized for recharging the rechargeable battery, and a second mode in which stored energy stored within rechargeable battery is utilized for energizing the light source bank, wherein the first location of interest and the second location of interest and the third location of interest are of different types, and wherein each of the first location of interest and the second location of interest and the third location of interest is a location of interest selected from the group consisting of a switch, a foul point, and derail point, and wherein the first light source of the first illumination unit and the first light source of the second illumination unit and wherein the first illumination unit of the third illumination unit have different illumination profiles. 
     
     
         8 . A method for illuminating a feature of a railway, the railway including a railroad track having a plurality of ties, the railway having a rail assembly supported on the plurality of ties, the method comprising:
 providing a first illumination unit for illuminating a first feature, an area about the first feature including a rail assembly having a certain elevation, the first illumination unit having a first light source disposed at the certain elevation, wherein the first illumination unit is switchable between a first mode in which solar energy collected by a solar panel of the first illumination unit is utilized for recharging a rechargeable battery of the first illumination, unit, and a second mode in which stored energy stored within the rechargeable battery of the first illumination unit is utilized for energizing the first light source of the first illumination unit;   providing a second illumination unit for illuminating a second feature, an area about the second feature including a rail assembly having a certain elevation, the second illumination unit having a first light source disposed at the certain elevation, wherein the second illumination unit is switchable between a first mode in which solar energy collected by a solar panel of the second illumination unit is utilized for recharging a rechargeable battery of the second illumination unit, and a second mode in which stored energy stored within the rechargeable battery of the second illumination unit is utilized for energizing the first light source of the second illumination unit, wherein the first feature and the second feature are of different types and wherein the first light source of the first illumination unit has a first illumination profile and the first light source of the second illumination unit has a second illumination profile, the second illumination profile being different from the first illumination profile;   illuminating the first feature utilizing the first illumination unit; and   illuminating the second feature utilizing the second illumination unit.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first illumination profile and the second illumination profile are differentiated by a wavelength of emission. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first illumination profile and the second illumination profile are differentiated by a wavelength of emission, and wherein the first illumination profile and the second illumination profile are differentiated by illumination control, the first illumination profile being characterized by a constantly energized illumination control, the second illumination profile being characterized by a flashing illumination control. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first feature is a switch and the second feature is selected from the group consisting of a foul point and a derail point. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , the first illumination unit highlights an area of a curved track. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the rail assembly includes an elevation other than the certain elevation of the rail assembly in an area of the first feature. 
     
     
         14 . A system for illumination of a feature of a railway, the railway including a railroad track having plurality of ties, the railway having a rail assembly supported on the plurality of ties, the rail assembly having first and second elongated rails in an area of a curved track, wherein the rail assembly having first and second elongated rails is supported at a certain elevation, wherein the system comprises:
 an illumination unit supported by a tie of the plurality of ties in the area of a curved track, the illumination unit having a light source bank, the light source bank including a first light source that comprises a central emission vector extending at the certain elevation; and   wherein the illumination unit includes a solar panel for collecting solar energy, and a rechargeable battery, the rechargeable battery for energizing the light source bank and being rechargeable utilizing solar energy collected by the solar panel.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the system comprises a plurality of illumination units including the illumination unit, the plurality of illumination units for illuminating the area of a curved track. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the central emission vector of the first light source is directed toward a vertically extending plane extending through a horizontal axis of the first elongated rail. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the central emission vector of the first light source is directed substantially in parallel with a vertically extending plane extending through a horizontal axis of the first elongated rail. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the central emission vector of the first light source is directed toward a vertically extending plane extending through a horizontal axis of the first elongated rail, the light source bank including a second light source having a central emission, vector directed toward a second vertically extending plane extending through a horizontal axis of the second elongated rail. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the light source bank includes a second light source having a central emission vector directed to substantially perpendicularly intersect a second plane, the second plane being substantially in parallel with a first plane that is substantially perpendicularly intersected by the central emission vector of the first light source. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the light source bank includes a second light source having a central emission vector directed to substantially perpendicularly intersect a second plane, the second plane being substantially in parallel with a first plane that is substantially perpendicularly intersected by the central emission vector of the first light source, wherein the light source bank includes a third light source having a central emission vector directed substantially in parallel with the first plane. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the central emission vector extends in a direction that is substantially horizontal. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the illumination unit includes a housing that houses the light source bank and the rechargeable battery, the housing having a plurality of downwardly extending formations extending downwardly from the housing to define a housing bottom having a raised bottom portion, the downwardly extending formations defining weep channels about a periphery of the housing. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second rails delimit a substantially horizontally extending planar region having a top delimited by the tops of the first and second elongated rails and a bottom delimited by the bottoms of the first and second elongated rails or by footers supporting the first and second rails where the first and second elongated rails are supported by footers, wherein the first light source is disposed within the substantially horizontally extending planar region. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the central emission vector of the first light source extends in a direction that substantially perpendicularly intersects a vertically extending plane extending through a horizontal axis of the first rail. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the area of a curved track is an area of a switch. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the area of a curved track is an area of a foul point. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the first light source directs light toward the first elongated rail in an area of a curved track. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the illumination unit is disposed between the first and second elongated rails in an area of a curved track. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the illumination unit includes a housing and a spacer disposed on a bottom of the housing.