Field Test Results with a High Speed Rail Prototype GPS Locomotive Location System

K.T. Mueller, D. Dow, J. Brawner, R. Bortins, S. Alban, F. Meek

Abstract:	A prototype GPS Locomotive Location System (GLLS) was developed by Seagull Technology to provide a low-cost very accurate system for High Speed Rail (HSR) applications. The GLLS architecture features a GPS heading system using 3 low-cost GPS receivers. Dead reckoning is provided using a low cost solid state heading rate sensor and a Doppler radar. The rate sensor and radar are calibrated dynamically with a Kalman filter using the GPS position, velocity, and heading measurements when these GPS measurements are available. Under the HSR Positive Train Control architecture, a key requirement for this system is to determine precisely and with a high level of confidence that a train has entered a siding to allow another higher priority train to pass on the mainline track. To determine the confidence level with which the location of the locomotive has been estimated, a parallel track resolution (PTR) algorithm is used. This algorithm uses the estimated path distance traveled and a GPS rail database to determine if the locomotive is passing over a switch. Using the uncertainties in the path distance and the heading, the algorithm determines the probability that the train has entered the siding. This paper presents the results of field tests performed on a Union Pacific locomotive operating along the Columbia River Gorge east of Portland during February 2003. The tests were performed along predominantly single mainline tracks with frequent sidings. Each of the sidings, available in the database, were entered or bypassed by the locomotive. These data were used to determine the probability that the locomotive was on the mainline or the siding track. Based on these field test results, the performance of the prototype GLLS system was determined relative to the design requirements.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 16th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS/GNSS 2003) September 9 - 12, 2003 Oregon Convention Center Portland, OR
Pages:	245 - 257
Cite this article:	Mueller, K.T., Dow, D., Brawner, J., Bortins, R., Alban, S., Meek, F., "Field Test Results with a High Speed Rail Prototype GPS Locomotive Location System," Proceedings of the 16th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS/GNSS 2003), Portland, OR, September 2003, pp. 245-257.
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