Self-driving single-car train system

Abstract

A train system having a train element consisting of a single train car configured to travel along a rail system, and including an enclosed first use area and a flat car section. The flat car section includes a drive-on loading area configured to enable a vehicle to be driven onto the flat car section and then transported by the train car. Train element includes a drive system for moving the train element along the rail system and a control system for autonomously controlling the operation of the train car. A sensor system collects sensor data and provides the sensor data, as inputs, to the control system. Sensor data is used by the control system in operating the train car. Lastly, a power system independently powers the drive system and control system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for operating train elements comprising the steps of:
 A. providing an open rail system and two or more of said train elements;   B. providing a trip plan for each of the two or more train elements that includes instructions for traveling along the open rail system to a first destination;   C. moving the two or more train elements, independently of one another, along a portion of the rail system; and   D. autonomously coupling the two or more train elements together to form a digital train according to instructions provided by the trip plans.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the digital train includes a master train element that leads the digital train and at least one slave train element following the master train element, wherein the master train element determines the speed and direction of each train element of the digital train. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two or more train elements is configured to travel along the rail system to an intended second destination after reaching the first destination, the method further comprising the step of:
 E. automatically platooning train elements into at least two platoons during coupling step (C), based on the first destination and second destination of the train elements, such that train elements having the same first and second destination form a platoon and are adjacent one another in the digital train.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least two of the two or more train elements are configured to travel along the rail system to an intended second destination after reaching the first destination, the method further comprising the step of:
 F. automatically platooning train elements into at least two platoons during coupling step (C), based on the first destination and second destination of the train elements, such that train elements having the same first and second destination form a platoon and are adjacent one another in the digital train. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising the step of:
 G. prior to the first destination, which first destination divides the portion of the rail system on which the digital train is traveling into two or more separate routes, including a first route and a second route, where the first route leads to the second destination of one of the at least two platoons and the second route leads to the second destination of a second of the at least two platoons, decoupling the digital train to form two digital trains that each include one of the at least two platoons and that are each led by a different master train element. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising the steps of:
 at coupling Step (C), forming substantially uniform couple gaps of a first length between each adjacent pair of train elements in the digital train; and 
 at decoupling Step (F), forming a decouple gap having a second length between the two digital trains, wherein the second length is greater than the first length. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein at least one of the first length and the second length are speed dependent. 
     
     
         8 . A method operating train elements comprising the steps of:
 A. providing a train system comprising one or more train elements, each train element consisting of a single train car that is configured to travel along an open rail system, the single train car comprising an enclosed first use area located at a first end of the train car and a flat car section, including a drive-on loading area that is configured to enable a vehicle to be driven onto and transported, located at a second end of the train car opposite the first use area;   B. for each train element, providing a drive system configured to move the train element along the rail system;   C. for each train element, providing a power system for independently powering the drive system;   D. providing a control system configured to autonomously control the operation of the train system;   E. providing a sensor system configured to collect sensor data and to provide sensor data, as inputs, to the control system that are used by the control system in operating the train system. F. operating the train system such that at least one of the one or more train elements is driven along the rail system by the drive system, which is powered by the power system, and while being controlled by the control system using sensor data from the sensor system.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising the step of providing a separate control system for controlling the operation of each of the one or more train elements. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising sending a communication from a control system of a first train element to the control system of a second train element to coordinate the operation of the first and second train elements on the rail system. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein a control system of a first one of the one or more train elements temporarily assumes control of a second one of the one or more train elements while the first and second train elements travel along the rail system together. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising the step of providing said rail system. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising the steps of:
 providing two or more train elements; 
 providing a trip plan for each of the two or more train elements that includes instructions for traveling along said rail system to a first destination; 
 moving the one or more train elements, independently of one another, along a portion of the rail system toward the first destination according to the trip plan; 
 autonomously coupling the two or more train elements together to form a digital train according to instructions provided by the trip plans; 
 moving the digital train to the first destination.