Track reference targets and method of using same to define left and right top-of-rail elevations

1. A dimension measuring method, comprising the steps of:

positioning a first target and a second target at fixed positions in a first plane perpendicular to a railroad track's parallel rails wherein one of said first target and said second target in said first plane is positioned at a known and fixed height over a first one of the rails;

positioning a third target and a fourth target at fixed positions in a second plane perpendicular to the rails wherein one of said third target and said fourth target in said second plane is positioned at a known and fixed height over the first one of the rails, and wherein said first plane is spaced-apart from said second plane;

measuring, using a laser-based distance measuring device, vector distances to said first target and said second target in said first plane, and to said third target and said fourth target in said second plane; and

determining, using a processor coupled to said laser-based measuring device, an elevation of each of the rails in said first plane and said second plane using said vector distances and said fixed positions in said first plane and said fixed positions in said second plane, wherein said elevation of each of the rails in said first plane and said second plane define a top-of-rail reference plane and wherein, for an object positioned above said top-of-rail reference plane, dimensions of the object are measured relative to said top-of-rail reference plane.

2. The dimension measuring method as in claim 1 wherein, for each said step of positioning, one of said first target and said second target and one of said third target and said fourth target are positioned outside the confines of the railroad track's parallel rails.

3. The dimension measuring method as in claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

measuring, using said laser-based measuring device, a vector distance to a point on a the object at a location above the rails and between said first plane and said second plane; and

determining, using said processor, a height and width of the object at the point on the object using said vector distance to the point and said top-of-rail reference plane.

4. The dimension measuring method as in claim 1 , wherein a railway car having spaced-apart sets of wheels is positioned on the rails, wherein said first plane is located adjacent to one of the sets of wheels, and wherein said second plane is located adjacent to another of the sets of wheels.

5. The dimension measuring method as in claim 1 , wherein a railway car having a deck of known width is positioned on the rails, said method further comprising the steps of:

positioning an additional target on each of opposing ends of the railway car; measuring a vector distance to each said additional target; and determining a centerline of the deck of the railway car using the known width of the deck and said vector distance to each said additional target.

6. A dimension measuring method, comprising the steps of:

providing a first target, a second target, a third target, a fourth target, a laser-based measuring device, and a processor coupled to the laser-based measuring device;

positioning the first target and the second target at fixed positions in a first plane perpendicular to a railroad track's parallel rails wherein one of the first target and the second target in said first plane is positioned at a known and fixed height over a first one of the rails;

positioning the third target and the fourth target at fixed positions in a second plane perpendicular to the rails wherein one of the third target and the fourth target in said second plane is positioned at a known and fixed height over the first one of the rails, and wherein said first plane is spaced-apart from said second plane;

measuring, using the laser-based distance measuring device, vector distances to the first target and the second target in said first plane, and to the third target and the fourth target in said second plane; and

determining, using the processor coupled to the laser-based measuring device, an elevation of each of the rails in said first plane and said second plane using said vector distances and said fixed positions in said first plane and said fixed positions in said second plane, wherein said elevation of each of the rails in said first plane and said second plane are used to measure dimensions of an object positioned above the rails.

7. The dimension measuring method as in claim 6 wherein, for each said step of positioning, one of said first target and said second target and one of said third target and said fourth target are positioned outside the confines of the railroad track's parallel rails.

8. The dimension measuring method as in claim 6 , further comprising the steps of:

measuring, using said laser-based measuring device, a vector distance to a point on the object at a location above the rails and between said first plane and said second plane; and

determining, using said processor, a height and width of the object at the point on the object using said vector distance to the point and said elevation of each of the rails in said first plane and said second plane.

9. The dimension measuring method as in claim 6 , wherein a railway car having a deck of known width is positioned on the rails, said method further comprising the steps of:

positioning an additional target on each of opposing ends of the railway car; measuring a vector distance to each said additional target; and determining a centerline of the deck of the railway car using the known width of the deck and said vector distance to each said additional target.