Predictive railroad crossing safety notification and traffic control system and methods

1 . A predictive railroad crossing system operable with respect to a plurality of operating trains to proactively improve railroad safety notification or traffic control decisions to avoid crossing-associated delays attributable to each of the plurality of operating trains for the benefit of interested persons affected by the plurality of operating trains along railroad corridors, the predictive railroad crossing system comprising:

at least one processor-based device configured to iteratively respond to real-time operating data for each of the plurality of operating trains and identify one or more public or private railroad crossings that each respective one of the plurality of operating trains will approach;

wherein the at least one processor-based device is further configured to:

estimate a time of arrival for each respective one of the plurality of operating trains at each of the respectively identified one or more public or private railroad crossings; and

estimate a blocked crossing duration time after an arrival of each respective one of the plurality of operating trains at each of the respectively identified one or more public or private railroad crossings;

wherein the estimated time of arrival and the estimated blocked crossing duration time are made predictively for each of the respectively identified one or more public or private railroad crossings without any physical train detection in at least one of the identified one or more public or private railroad crossings.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a train control system including sets of real-time operating data for each of the plurality of trains of one or more railroad entities.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the train control system is a positive train control system.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein each set of real-time operating data includes location data, train speed data, train heading data, and train length data for each of the plurality of trains.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the train location data includes railroad corridor division data, subdivision data, branch data, and milepost data.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one processor-based device is configured to compute a distance to each of the respectively identified one or more public or private railroad crossings based on a conversion of milepost data to global positioning system data.

7 . The system of claim 6 , further comprising at least one database including route correlation information, the distance to each of the respective identified crossings further being based on the route correlation information.

8 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a processor-based crossing system operating on a site of at least one of the identified one or more public or private railroad crossings, the processor-based crossing system operationally responsive to the estimated time of arrival and the estimated blocked crossing duration time applicable to the site in order to operate at least one crossing safety device.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor-based crossing system is solar powered.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor-based crossing warning system is configured to present the estimated time of arrival or the estimated blocked crossing duration time at the site.

11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one crossing safety device comprises at least one warning light.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one warning light is an LED.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one warning light is solar-powered.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one warning light is battery powered.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one warning light is a static warning light or a dynamic warning light.

16 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising a crossbuck, the at least one warning light provided on the crossbuck.

17 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one crossing safety device comprises an audio alert device.

18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one crossing safety device comprises a barrier device.

19 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one processor-based driver notification device responsive to the estimated time of arrival or the estimated blocked crossing duration time for one of the identified public or private railroad crossings.

20 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one processor-based vehicle navigation system responsive to the estimated time of arrival or the estimated blocked crossing duration time for one of the identified public or private railroad crossings to provide an alert or to effect a change in route.

21 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one processor-based vehicle dispatch system responsive to the estimated time of arrival or the estimated blocked crossing duration time for one of the e-the-identified public or private railroad crossings to provide an alert or to effect a change in route.

22 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one processor-based transportation system responsive to the estimated time of arrival or the estimated blocked crossing duration time for one of the identified public or private railroad crossings to provide at least one of an alert or to effect a change in route.

23 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the at least one processor-based transportation system includes a traffic channel messaging system or an intelligent transportation system.

24 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor-based device is further configured to compare the estimated time of arrival and the estimated blocked crossing duration time with a previously determined estimated time of arrival and a previously determined estimated blocked crossing duration time for the identified one or more public or private railroad crossings.

25 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor-based device is further configured to compare the estimated time of arrival and the estimated blocked crossing duration time with sensed train data applicable to the identified one or more public or private railroad crossings.

26 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the estimated time of arrival is made predictively at least 10 minutes in advance for at least one of the respectively identified one or more public or private railroad crossings.

27 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the estimated time of arrival is made predictively at least 20 minutes in advance for at least one of the respectively identified one or more public or private railroad crossings.

28 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the estimated time of arrival is made predictively while at least one of the plurality of operating trains is at least 10 miles away from one of the respectively identified one or more public or private railroad crossings.

29 . The system of claim 28 , wherein the estimated time of arrival is made predictively while at least one of the plurality of operating trains is at least 20 miles away from one of the respectively identified one or more public or private railroad crossings.

30 . The system of claim 1 , in combination with an active or passive crossing system operating on a site of at least one of the identified one or more public or private railroad crossings.

31 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor-based device is further configured to communicate the estimated time of arrival and the estimated blocked crossing duration time t 0 a location of a person traveling toward or already in the vicinity of at least one of the identified one or more public or private railroad crossings.

32 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the interested persons include a driver, a passenger, a railroad worker, a pedestrian, a biker, and a hiker.

33 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor-based device comprises a computer server device.

34 . A predictive railroad crossing system operable with respect to a plurality of operating trains to proactively improve railroad safety notification or traffic control decisions to avoid crossing-associated delays attributable to each of the plurality of operating trains for the benefit of interested persons affected by the plurality of operating trains along railroad corridors, the predictive railroad crossing system comprising:

at least one processor-based device configured to iteratively respond to real-time operating data for each of the plurality of operating trains and identify one or more public or private railroad crossings that each respective one of the plurality of operating trains will approach;

wherein the at least one processor-based device is further configured to:

estimate a time of arrival for each respective one of the plurality of operating trains at each of the respectively identified one or more public or private railroad crossings; and

estimate a blocked crossing duration time after an arrival of each respective one of the plurality of operating trains at each of the respectively identified one or more public or private railroad crossings;

wherein the estimated time of arrival and the estimated blocked crossing duration time are made predictively for each of the respectively identified one or more public or private railroad crossings without any physical train detection in at least one of the identified one or more public or private railroad crossings; and

processor-based electronic signage alongside at least one roadway route associated with one of the identified one or more public or private railroad crossings, the electronic signage configured to display a message including the estimated time of arrival or the estimated blocked crossing duration time for one of the identified public or private railroad crossings.

35 . The system of claim 34 , wherein the message further includes suggested route information or detour information to avoid one of the identified public or private railroad crossings.

36 . A predictive railroad crossing system operable with respect to a plurality of operating trains to proactively improve railroad safety notification or traffic control decisions to avoid crossing-associated delays attributable to each of the plurality of operating trains for the benefit of interested persons affected by the plurality of operating trains along railroad corridors, the predictive railroad crossing system comprising:

at least one processor-based device configured to iteratively respond to real-time operating data for each of the plurality of operating trains and identify one or more public or private railroad crossings that each respective one of the plurality of operating trains will approach;

wherein the at least one processor-based device is further configured to:

estimate a time of arrival for each respective one of the plurality of operating trains at each of the respectively identified one or more public or private railroad crossings; and

estimate a blocked crossing duration time after an arrival of each respective one of the plurality of operating trains at each of the respectively identified one or more public or private railroad crossings;

wherein the estimated time of arrival and the estimated blocked crossing duration time are made predictively for each of the respectively identified one or more public or private railroad crossings without any physical train detection in at least one of the identified one or more public or private railroad crossings; and

at least one processor-based personal device, the at least one personal device responsive to the estimated time of arrival or the estimated blocked crossing duration time for one of the identified public or private railroad crossings to provide a crossing status or to effect a change in route.

37 . The system of claim 36 , wherein the at least one processor-based personal device is a smartphone.

38 . The system of claim 36 , wherein the crossing status is provided to a non-driver via the processor-based personal device.

39 . The system of claim 36 , wherein the estimated time of arrival is provided via the processor-based personal device to at least one railroad worker who is present at or near one of the respectively identified one or more public or private railroad crossings.

40 . A railroad crossing system operable with respect to a plurality of operating trains, the system comprising:

at least one processor-based device configured to:

predictively determine, without requiring a train-detection system at each of a plurality of different railroad crossings, an estimated time of train arrival and a respective estimated duration of blocked crossing for all of the plurality of different railroad crossings affected by a respective one of the plurality of trains on approach; and

communicate the estimated time of train arrival and a respective estimated duration of blocked rail crossing to locations of persons traveling toward or already in the vicinity of one or more of the plurality of different railroad crossings, whereby an ample lead time is provided to make a decision and take an action to avoid the train on approach at one or more of the plurality of different railroad crossings.

41 . The system of claim 40 , wherein the predictively determined estimated time of train arrival and the respective estimated duration of blocked crossing for all of the plurality of different railroad crossings affected by a respective one of the plurality of trains on approach are based on train position data communicated from a Positive Train Control system, train velocity data communicated from the Positive Train Control system, train length data communicated from the Positive Train Control system, and a computed distance between a current train position for the plurality of operating trains on approach to one or more of the plurality of different railroad crossings.

42 . The system of claim 40 , further comprising processor-based electronic signage alongside at least one roadway route associated with one of the plurality of different railroad crossings, the processor-based electronic signage configured to display the predictively determined estimated time of train arrival and the respective estimated duration of blocked crossing for the one of the plurality of different railroad crossings.

43 . The system of claim 42 , wherein the processor-based electronic signage is further configured to display suggested route information or detour information to avoid the train on approach at the one of the plurality of different railroad crossings.

44 . The system of claim 40 , further comprising at least one processor-based personal device, the at least one personal device responsive to the estimated time of arrival or the estimated blocked crossing duration time for one of the identified public or private railroad crossings to provide a crossing status or to effect a change in route.

45 . The system of claim 44 , wherein the at least one processor-based personal device is a smartphone.

46 . The system of claim 44 , wherein the at least one processor-based personal device is a wearable device.

47 . The system of claim 46 , wherein the wearable device is a smart watch.

48 . The system of claim 40 , further comprising at least one warning light that is responsive to the communication of the estimated time of train arrival at a location affected by a respective one of the plurality of trains on approach.

49 . An estimation system for a plurality of railroad crossings, the system comprising:

at least one processor-based device configured to:

predictively determine an estimated time of train arrival and a corresponding estimated duration of blocked crossing for each of the plurality of railroad crossings in advance of an actual arrival of an operating train, wherein at one or more of the plurality crossings no railroad-operated train detection system exists; and

communicate the predictively determined estimated time of train arrival and the predictively determined estimated duration of blocked rail crossing to persons traveling toward or already in the vicinity of any of the plurality of railroad crossings in order to make a decision and take an action to improve personal safety or avoid a personal delay associated with a blocked crossing.

50 . The system of claim 49 , further comprising at least one processor-based vehicle navigation system responsive to the estimated time of arrival or the estimated blocked crossing duration time for one of the identified public or private railroad crossings to provide an alert or to effect a change in route.

51 . The system of claim 49 , in combination with another processor-based device receiving the communicated predictively determined estimated time of train arrival and the predictively determined estimated duration of blocked rail crossing and taking an action to avoid idled traffic proximate one of the identified public or private railroad crossings.

52 . The system of claim 49 , further comprising at least one processor-based vehicle dispatch system responsive to the estimated time of arrival or the estimated blocked crossing duration time for one of the identified public or private railroad crossings to provide an alert or to effect a change in route.

53 . A computer-implemented estimation system for persons potentially affected by a plurality of railroad crossings each including an intersection of railroad tracks and a roadway, the system comprising:

a first processor-based device at a first centralized location, the first processor-based device configured to predictively estimate, with respect to each one of the plurality of railroad crossings, a time arrival of a train at the railroad crossing and a duration of blockage of the roadway by the train after arrival at the railroad crossing, wherein at one or more of the plurality of railroad crossings no train detection capability is present; and

a second processor-based device at a second location remote from the first location, the second processor-based device being configured to receive the predictively estimated time of train arrival and duration of blocked rail crossing in order to address a risk of delay in travel on the roadway or a risk of safety at the railroad crossing posed by the train at a time starting from the estimated time of arrival through an expiration of the blocked crossing duration.

54 . The system of claim 53 , wherein the second processor-based device is a processor-based vehicle navigation system responsive to the received predictively estimated time of train arrival and duration of blocked rail crossing to provide an alert or to effect a change in route.

55 . The system of claim 53 , wherein the second processor-based device is configured to take an action to avoid idled traffic proximate one of the identified public or private railroad crossings.

56 . The system of claim 53 , wherein the second processor-based device is a processor-based vehicle dispatch system responsive to the estimated time of arrival or the estimated blocked crossing duration time for one of the identified public or private railroad crossings to provide an alert or to effect a change in route.

57 . A computer-implemented estimation system for persons navigating in an area a plurality of railroad crossings successively distanced from one another and each including an intersection of railroad tracks and a roadway, the system comprising:

a centralized processor-based device configured to iteratively sample detected information concerning the operation of at least one locomotive along the railroad tracks, the sampled detected information including location data, speed data, and train length data;

wherein the centralized processor-based device is further configured to:

based on the received location data, determine a distance to each one of the plurality of railroad crossings;

based on the determined distances and the speed data, predictively estimate a time of arrival of the train for each one of the plurality of railroad crossings; and

based on the speed data and the train length data, predictively estimate a blocked crossing duration for each one of the plurality of railroad crossings; and

a plurality of processor-based devices remotely located from the centralized processor based device and each receiving the predictively estimated time of arrival of the train and blocked crossing duration for respectively different ones of the plurality of railroad crossings, thereby facilitating specific decisions and actions to be taken in advance of the respective predictively estimated time of arrival of the train to improve safety on the roadway at each of the plurality of railroad crossings or to avoid blocked roadways during the predictively estimated blocked crossing duration at each of the plurality of crossings.

58 . The system of claim 57 , wherein the iteratively sampled detected information concerning the operation of at least one locomotive along the railroad tracks is generated by a Positive Train Control system.

59 . The system of claim 57 , wherein the centralized processor-based device determines a distance to each one of the plurality of railroad crossings based on Milepost Data that is converted to equivalent global position location data.

60 . The system of claim 57 , wherein the centralized processor-based device is further configured to compare the predictively estimated time of arrival of the train for each one of the plurality of railroad crossings to an actual time of arrival of the train for each one of the plurality of railroad crossings.

61 . The system of claim 57 , wherein the centralized processor-based device is further configured to compare the predictively estimated blocked crossing duration for each one of the plurality of railroad crossings to an actual blocked crossing duration for each one of the plurality of railroad crossings.