Tools for railway traffic control

Abstract

Tools (such as system, apparatus, methodology, etc.) may be provided to control traffic over a railway track section, and more particularly, when a railway worker is working on or near the track section, a block is placed to prevent trains from traversing the track section. Move particularly, when traffic over the track section is to be blocked Further, a release code is generated and sent to an electronic contact address of the railway worker. Traffic through the track section is blocked until the release code is entered in the system a user terminal. The block is removed from the track section when the release code is received by the system.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A centralized railway control system comprising:
 a rail personnel contact database registering, for each railway personnel, an electronic contact address of the railway personnel; and   a railway traffic control apparatus for controlling access to railway tracks, said railway traffic control apparatus comprising a processor, a non-transitory medium storing one or more programs of executable instructions, and a network interface through which the railway traffic control apparatus communicates via a network with a user terminal,   wherein execution of said one or more programs of executable instructions configures the processor to include:
 a block placing part to place a block on one or more specified track sections to permit a railway field worker to enter the track sections while blocking railway traffic to said track sections; 
 a code generation part to generate a removal code, retrieve the electronic contact address of the railway field worker from the rail personnel contact database, and transmit the removal code to the electronic contact address of the railway field worker; and 
 a block removal part to remove only upon entry of the removal code, the block placed by the block placing part on said one or more track sections. 
   
     
     
       2. The centralized railway control system of  claim 1 , wherein the railway traffic control apparatus further comprises:
 a RTC user interface to permit a user to specify said one or more track sections to be blocked, specify an instruction to the centralized railway control system to block the railway traffic to the specified track sections, and specify identifying information of the railway field worker to be performing work in the specified track sections.   
     
     
       3. The centralized railway control system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a railway control database registering block identifying information, including block limits identifying the one or more blocked track sections, along with the removal code for removing the block of the track sections.   
     
     
       4. The centralized railway control system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a railway control database registering (a) identification of the user who specified the instruction to block the track sections and (b) block identifying information, including block limits identifying the one or more blocked track sections, notes specifying reasons for the block, and date and time at which the block was placed.   
     
     
       5. The centralized railway control system of  claim 1 , wherein upon placement by the block placing part of the block of railway traffic to said one or more specified track sections, the code generation part transmits the removal code to the electronic contact address of the railway field worker, and the block of railway traffic to said one or more specified track sections remains in place in the centralized railway control system until the entry of the removal code in the centralized railway control system to cause the block removal part to remove the block on said one or more track sections. 
     
     
       6. The centralized railway control system of  claim 1 , wherein the railway traffic control apparatus further comprises:
 a block removal user interface to permit a user to enter the removal code to cause the block removal part to remove the block on said one or more track sections,   wherein the block of railway traffic to said one or more specified track sections remains in place in the centralized railway control system until the entry of the removal code through the block removal user interface.   
     
     
       7. The centralized railway control system of  claim 6 , wherein the block removal user interface further requires, in addition to the entry of the removal code, the user to specify that confirmation that the track sections have been cleared has been obtained from the railway field worker associated with the block, before the block removal user interface permits the removal code to be transmitted to the block removal part, and
 the centralized railway control system further comprises a railway control database registering (a) block identifying information identifying the one or more blocked track sections, date and time at which the block was placed and identifying information the railway field worker associated with the block, and (b) block removal information identifying date and time at which the block was removed and identifying the user who entered the removal code and specified that confirmation that the track sections have been cleared was obtained from the railway field worker associated with the block.   
     
     
       8. The centralized railway control system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a voice processing part configured to receive a voice message and extract the removal code from the voice message.   
     
     
       9. The centralized railway control system of  claim 1 , wherein the code generation part transmits an electronic message to the electronic contact address of the railway field worker, and the electronic message transmitted to the electronic contact address of the railway field worker includes the removal code and includes an embedded link for activating a return transmission of the removal code to the block removal part of the centralized railway control system. 
     
     
       10. A railway traffic control apparatus for controlling access to railway tracks, said railway traffic control apparatus comprising:
 a block placing part to place a block on one or more selected track sections to permit a railway field worker to enter the track sections while blocking railway traffic to said track sections;   a code generation part to generate a removal code, determine an electronic contact address of the railway field worker by accessing a rail personnel contact database registering, for each railway personnel, electronic contact information of the railway personnel, and transmit the removal code to the electronic contact address of the railway field worker; and   a block removal part to remove only upon entry of the removal code, the block placed by the block placing part on said one or more track sections for the railway field worker.   
     
     
       11. The railway traffic control apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a RTC user interface to permit a user to specify said one or more track sections to be blocked, specify an instruction to the centralized railway control system to block the railway traffic to the specified track sections, and specify identifying information of the railway field worker to be performing work in the specified track sections.   
     
     
       12. The railway traffic control apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein block identifying information, including block limits identifying the one or more blocked track sections, is registered in a railway control database, along with the removal code for removing the block of the track sections. 
     
     
       13. The railway traffic control apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein block identifying information, including block limits identifying the one or more blocked track sections, notes specifying reasons for the block, and date and time at which the block was placed, are registered in a railway control database, along with identification of the user who specified the instruction to block the track sections. 
     
     
       14. The railway traffic control apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein upon placement by the block placing part of the block of railway traffic to said one or more specified track sections, the code generation code transmits the removal code to the electronic contact address of the railway field worker, and the block of railway traffic to said one or more specified track sections remains in place in the centralized railway control system until the entry of the removal code in the centralized railway control system to cause the block removal part to remove the block on said one or more track sections. 
     
     
       15. The railway traffic control apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a block removal user interface to permit a user to enter the removal code to cause the block removal part to remove the block on said one or more track sections,   wherein the block of railway traffic to said one or more specified track sections remains in place in the centralized railway control system until the entry of the removal code through the block removal user interface.   
     
     
       16. The railway traffic control apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the block removal user interface further requires, in addition to the entry of the removal code, the user to specify that confirmation that the track sections have been cleared has been obtained from the railway field worker associated with the block, before the block removal user interface permits the removal code to be transmitted to the block removal part, and
 block identifying information identifying the one or more blocked track sections, date and time at which the block was placed and identifying information the railway field worker associated with the block is registered in a railway control database, along with block removal information identifying date and time at which the block was removed and identifying the user who entered the removal code and specified that confirmation that the track sections have been cleared was obtained from the railway field worker associated with the block.   
     
     
       17. The railway traffic control apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a voice processing part configured to receive a voice message and extract the removal code from the voice message.   
     
     
       18. The railway traffic control apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the code generation part transmits an electronic message to the electronic contact address of the railway field worker, and the electronic message transmitted to the electronic contact address of the railway field worker includes the removal code and includes an embedded link for activating a return transmission of the removal code to the block removal part of the centralized railway control system. 
     
     
       19. A method for a centralized railway control system to control access to railway tracks, the method comprising:
 providing a user interface on a user terminal including a block placing part to place a block on one or more specified track sections to permit a railway field worker to enter the track sections while blocking railway traffic to said track sections;   generating a removal code, determining an electronic contact address of the railway field worker by accessing a rail personnel contact database registering, for each railway personnel, electronic contact information of the railway personnel, and transmitting the removal code to the electronic contact address of the railway field worker; and   permitting the block to said one or more track sections to be removed only upon entry of the removal code in the centralized railway control system.   
     
     
       20. A railway control apparatus for centralized control of a centrally controllable railway network including plural railways and a plurality of railway interlocks dispersed in said plural railways, comprising:
 a processor for controlling a plurality of track sections in the railway network, wherein each track section is associated with a corresponding interlock and is disposed in any of said plural railways of said railway network that is managed by centralized control operation from the railway control apparatus, the processor controlling, by said centralized control operation, one or more interlocks amongst the plurality of railway interlocks dispersed in said plural railways of said railway network, to block railway traffic to one or more specified track sections; and   a memory device storing computer-executable instructions, wherein execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor causes the railway control apparatus to:
 receive a selection of at least one track section amongst the plurality of track sections; 
 transmit a block signal to the corresponding interlock associated with the at least one selected track section, to place a block on the selected track section by said centralized control operation from the railway control apparatus; 
 generate a secret code associated with the at least one selected track section; and 
 transmit the secret code to a remote user terminal. 
   
     
     
       21. The railway control apparatus of claim 20, wherein execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor causes the railway control apparatus to store the secret code in the memory device. 
     
     
       22. The railway control apparatus of claim 21, wherein execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor causes the railway control apparatus to:
 receive a second secret code;   determine that the second secret code and the secret code stored in the memory device are the same; and   responsive to determining that the second secret code and the secret code stored in the memory device are the same, release the block on the at least one selected track section.   
     
     
       23. The railway control apparatus of claim 21, wherein execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor causes the railway control apparatus to:
 receive a second secret code;   determine that the second secret code and the secret code stored in the memory device are not the same; and   responsive to determining that the second secret code and the secret code stored in the memory device are not the same, maintaining the block on the at least one selected track section.   
     
     
       24. The railway control apparatus of claim 20, wherein the secret code is transmitted to the remote user terminal by messaging or email. 
     
     
       25. The railway control apparatus of claim 20, wherein the remote user terminal is a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet computer, a pager, or a personal digital assistant, and execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor causes the railway control apparatus to transmit the secret code to said mobile phone, smartphone, tablet computer, pager, or personal digital assistant. 
     
     
       26. The railway control apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:
 a network interface, wherein execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor causes the railway control apparatus to transmit the secret code to the remote user terminal via the network interface.   
     
     
       27. The railway control apparatus of claim 20, wherein only the railway control apparatus and the remote user terminal receive the secret code. 
     
     
       28. The railway control apparatus of claim 20, wherein the secret code is generated by a random process. 
     
     
       29. The railway control apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:
 a rail personnel database comprising information related to a plurality of rail personnel;   wherein execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor causes the railway control apparatus to:
 retrieve specific personnel data from the rail personnel database; and 
 determine an electronic address of the remote user terminal to which the secret code is to be transmitted. 
   
     
     
       30. A railway control apparatus comprising:
 a processor for controlling a plurality of track sections in a railway network, wherein each track section is associated with a corresponding interlock; and   a memory device storing computer-executable instructions, wherein execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor causes the railway control apparatus to:
 receive a selection of at least one track section amongst the plurality of track sections; 
 responsive to receiving the selection of the at least one track section, determine that the at least one selected track section has an existing block; 
 receive a signal from the corresponding interlock of the at least one selected track section that a new block can be established; 
 responsive to receiving the signal that a new block can be established, transmit a block signal to the corresponding interlock associated with the at least one selected track section, to place a block on the at least one selected track section; 
 generate a secret code associated with the at least one selected track section; and 
 transmit the secret code to a remote user terminal. 
   
     
     
       31. A method comprising:
 receiving, by a processor, a selection of at least one selected track section in a centrally controlled railway network, wherein each track section corresponds to an interlock;   responsive to receiving the selection of the at least one selected track section, determining, by the processor, that the at least one selected track section has an existing block;   receiving, by the processor, a signal from the corresponding interlock of the at least one selected track section that a new block can be established;   responsive to receiving the signal that a new block can be established, transmitting, by the processor, a block signal to the corresponding interlock of the selected at least one selected track section to place a block on the selected at least one selected track section;   generating, by the processor, a secret code associated with the selected at least one selected track section;   transmitting, by the processor, the secret code to a remote user terminal.   
     
     
       32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:
 storing the secret code in a memory device.   
     
     
       33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:
 receiving, by the processor, a second secret code;   determining, by the processor, that the second secret code and the secret code stored in the memory device are the same; and   responsive to determining that the second secret code and the secret code stored in the memory device are the same, releasing, by the processor, the block on the selected at least one selected track section.   
     
     
       34. The method of claim 32, further comprising:
 receiving, by the processor, a second secret code;   determining, by the processor, that the second secret code and the secret code stored in the memory device are not the same; and   responsive to determining that the second secret code and the secret code stored in the memory device are not the same, maintaining the block on the selected at least one selected track section.   
     
     
       35. The method of claim 31, wherein only the processor and the remote user terminal receive the secret code. 
     
     
       36. The method of claim 31, further comprising:
 retrieving, by the processor, specific personnel data from a rail personnel database; and   determining, by the processor, an electronic address of the remote user terminal to which the secret code is to be transmitted.