ROUTE EXAMINING SYSTEM AND METHOD

1 . A system comprising:

an application device configured to be disposed onboard a first vehicle of a first vehicle system traveling along a route and to be at least one of conductively or inductively coupled with the route during travel along the route;

a control unit configured to control supply of electric current from a power source to the application device in order to electrically inject an examination signal into the route via the application device;

a detection unit configured to monitor one or more electrical characteristics of the route in response to the examination signal being injected into the route;

an identification unit configured to examine the one or more electrical characteristics of the route in order to determine whether a section of the route extending between the application device and the detection unit is potentially damaged based on the one or more electrical characteristics; and

a secondary analysis module configured to, responsive to an identification of a potentially damaged section of the route by the identification unit, perform a secondary analysis of the potentially damaged section of the route to at least one of confirm that damage has occurred to the potentially damaged section of the route, identify a type of damage that has occurred to the potentially damaged section of the route, or assess a level of damage to the potentially damaged section of the route.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the secondary analysis module is configured to analyze a signature of the one or more electrical characteristics and to perform the secondary analysis using the signature.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the secondary analysis module comprises a secondary detection unit configured to obtain secondary data regarding the potentially damaged section of the track.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the detection unit is configured to be disposed on-board the first vehicle, and the secondary detection unit is configured to be disposed on-board a second vehicle of the first vehicle system.

5 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the secondary detection unit comprises a video camera.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the video camera is configured to be disposed on-board the first vehicle, and the secondary data is obtained using timing information corresponding to a time when the first vehicle passed over the potentially damaged section of the route.

7 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the secondary detection unit comprises an accelerometer.

8 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the detection unit comprises a first receive coil oriented in a first direction toward a rail of the route, and wherein the secondary detection unit comprises a secondary receive coil disposed at about 90 degrees to the first direction toward the rail of the route.

9 . A method comprising:

electrically injecting an examination signal into a route being traveled by a first vehicle system having at least a first vehicle, the examination signal being injected into the route using the first vehicle of the first vehicle system;

monitoring one or more electrical characteristics of the route responsive to the examination signal;

identifying, with an identification unit, a potentially damaged section of the route based on the one or more electrical characteristics; and

performing, with a secondary analysis module, responsive to an identification of the potentially damaged section of the route by the identification unit, a secondary analysis of the potentially damaged section of the route to at least one of confirm that damage has occurred to the potentially damaged section of the route, identify a type of damage that has occurred to the potentially damaged section of the route, or assess a level of damage to the potentially damaged section of the route.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the monitoring the one or more electrical characteristics of the route comprises detecting the examination signal using a detection unit disposed onboard the first vehicle, and further comprising detecting secondary information utilized by the secondary analysis module using a secondary detection unit.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the secondary detection unit is disposed onboard a second vehicle of the vehicle system.

12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising activating the secondary detection unit responsive to the identification of the potentially damaged section of the route by the identification unit.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the secondary information is obtained using timing information corresponding to a time when the first vehicle passed over the potentially damaged section of the route.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the performing the secondary analysis comprises analyzing a signature of the one or more electrical characteristics.

15 . A tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium comprising one or more computer software modules configured to direct one or more processors to:

control injection of an examination signal into a route being traveled by a first vehicle system having at least a first vehicle, the examination signal being injected into the route using the first vehicle of the first vehicle system;

monitor one or more electrical characteristics of the route responsive to the examination signal;

identify a potentially damaged section of the route based on the one or more electrical characteristics; and

perform, responsive to an identification of the potentially damaged section of the route by the identification unit, a secondary analysis of the potentially damaged section of the route to at least one of confirm that damage has occurred to the potentially damaged section of the route, identify a type of damage that has occurred to the potentially damaged section of the route, or assess a level of damage to the potentially damaged section of the route.

16 . The computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the computer readable medium is further configured to direct the one or more processors to detect the one or more electrical characteristics of the route using a detection unit disposed onboard the first vehicle, and to detect secondary information for use with the secondary analysis using a secondary detection unit.

17 . The computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the secondary detection unit is disposed onboard a second vehicle of the vehicle system.

18 . The computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the computer readable medium is further configured to direct the one or more processors to activate the secondary detection unit responsive to the identification of a potentially damaged section of the route by the identification unit.

19 . The computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the computer readable medium is further configured to direct the one or more processors to obtain the secondary information using timing information corresponding to a time when the first vehicle passed over the potentially damaged section of the route.

20 . The computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the computer readable medium is further configured to direct the one or more processors to perform the secondary analysis using a signature of the one or more electrical characteristics.