Apparatus and method for calculating plate cut and rail seat abrasion based on measurements only of rail head elevation and crosstie surface elevation

1. A method of calculating rail crosstie wear using only measurements of the top of rail elevation and top of crosstie elevation using a railroad track assessment system moving along a railroad track, the method comprising the steps of:

i. obtaining rail head elevation measurements along a railroad track;

ii. obtaining crosstie surface elevation measurements along a railroad track;

iii. calculating the difference between the obtained rail head elevation measurements and the obtained crosstie surface elevation measurements;

iv. determining a running maximum of a difference between the rail head elevation measurements and the crosstie surface elevation measurements for a defined distance of railroad track;

v. assigning an estimated rail height reference value as the running maximum calculated elevation measurement calculated in step iv; and

vi. calculating crosstie wear values at different locations along the extended distance of railroad track by comparing measured distances between rail head elevations and crosstie surface elevations with the assigned estimated rail height for the defined distance of railroad track.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of vii checking for false positive crosstie wear calculations by:

A. determining a permitted absolute maximum value for the distance between rail head elevation measurements and crosstie surface elevation measurements; and

B. comparing the determined permitted absolute maximum value to the assigned total rail height reference value for the defined distance of railroad track.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein step A further comprises the sub steps of:

a. scanning the side of a rail along the railroad track;

b. analyzing alpha-numeric web markings on a side of a rail being scanned using an optical character recognition algorithm;

c. accessing a database stored on a computer readable medium in communication with a processor wherein the database comprises manufacturing data regarding the height of specified rails cross-referenced with rail alpha-numeric web markings; and

d. defining the permitted absolute maximum value for the distance between rail head elevation measurements and crosstie surface elevation measurements as the reference rail height of a rail plus tie plate or pads having the specific alpha-numeric markings as those scanned from the side of the rail.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein step A further comprises the sub steps of:

a. determining the geospatial location of the railroad track assessment system;

b. accessing a database stored on a computer readable using a processor wherein the database includes rail height data regarding the specific rails located at the determined geospatial location; and

c. defining the permitted absolute maximum value for the distance between rail head elevation measurements and crosstie surface elevation measurements as the reference rail height of the rails plus tie plates or pads located at the determined geospatial location.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of C flagging calculated crosstie wear values calculated using the estimated rail height reference value as false positives if the estimated rail height value is determined to be greater than the determined permitted absolute maximum value for the distance between rail head elevation measurements and crosstie surface elevation measurements.

6. A railway track assessment apparatus for calculating rail crosstie wear using only measurements of the top of rail elevation and top of crosstie elevation, the apparatus comprising:

i. a processor;

ii. a system controller in communication with the processor;

iii. a data storage device in communication with the processor;

iv. a power source for providing electric power to the track assessment apparatus;

v. a first sensor pod attached adjacent to an undercarriage of the rail vehicle, the first sensor pod comprising:

A. a first 3D sensor in communication with the system controller wherein the first 3D sensor is oriented at an oblique angle relative to a railway track bed surface supporting rails on which the rail vehicle is moving wherein such orientation provides the first 3D sensor a side view of a first side of a first rail of the railway track so that the first 3D sensor can obtain data from the first side of the first rail; and

B. a first structured light generator in communication with the system controller;

vi. computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable storage medium in communication with the processor operable to:

A. calculate rail head elevation measurements from data gathered by the 3D sensor;

B. calculate crosstie surface elevation measurements from data gathered by the 3D sensor;

C. calculate the difference between the obtained rail head elevation measurements and the obtained crosstie surface elevation measurements;

D. determine a running maximum of a difference between the rail head elevation measurements and the crosstie surface elevation measurements for a defined distance of railroad track;

E. assign a estimated rail height value as the running maximum calculated elevation measurement calculated in step D; and

F. calculate crosstie wear values at different locations along the extended distance of railroad track by comparing measured distances between rail head elevations and crosstie surface elevations with the assigned estimated rail height for that defined distance of railroad track.

7. The railway track assessment apparatus of claim 6 wherein the computer executable instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium in communication with the processor are further operable to:

G. determine a permitted absolute maximum value for the distance between rail head elevation measurements and crosstie surface elevation measurements; and

H. compare the determined permitted absolute maximum value to the assigned total rail height reference value for the defined distance of railroad track.

8. The railway track assessment apparatus of claim 7 wherein the computer executable instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium in communication with the processor operable to determine a permitted absolute maximum value for the distance between rail head elevation measurements and crosstie surface elevation measurements are further operable to:

a. analyze alpha-numeric web markings on a side of a rail being scanned by the 3D sensor using an optical character recognition algorithm;

b. access a database stored on a computer readable medium in communication with the processor wherein the database comprises manufacturing data regarding the height of specified rails cross-referenced with rail alpha-numeric web markings; and

c. define the permitted absolute maximum value for the distance between rail head elevation measurements and crosstie surface elevation measurements as the reference rail height of a rail plus tie plate or pads having the specific alpha-numeric markings as those scanned from the side of the rail.

9. The railway track assessment apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a GNSS receiver in communication with the processor for providing position data of the railway track assessment apparatus to the processor and wherein the computer executable instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium in communication with the processor operable to determine a permitted absolute maximum value for the distance between rail head elevation measurements and crosstie surface elevation measurements are further operable to:

a. determine the geospatial location of the railroad track assessment system using the GNSS receiver;

b. access a database stored on a computer readable using the processor wherein the database includes rail height data regarding the specific rails located at the determined geospatial location; and

c. define the permitted absolute maximum value for the distance between rail head elevation measurements and crosstie surface elevation measurements as the reference rail height of the rails plus tie plates or pads located at the determined geospatial location.

10. The railway track assessment apparatus of claim 7 wherein the computer executable instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium in communication with the processor are further operable to I flag calculated crosstie wear values calculated using the estimated rail height reference value as false positives if the estimated rail height value is determined to be greater than the determined permitted absolute maximum value for the distance between rail head elevation measurements and crosstie surface elevation measurements.