Highway crossing system with improved ring sustain feature

摘要

A highway crossing warning system includes a motion detector transmitter and receiver respectively coupled to the track rails adjacent the highway crossing for detecting motion of an approaching train. Wrap-around approach sections initiate operation of the highway crossing warning, but once motion is detected, the motion detector can serve to inhibit the highway crossing warning, after a predetermined delay, if motion indication ceases. To increase the effectiveness of the motion detection, the motion detector transmitter impresses a modulated carrier onto the track rails, wherein the modulation is phase locked to the carrier. The receiver, tuned to the carrier frequency, detects the modulation, and then determines from the level of demodulated signal whether or not approaching motion is detected. The transmitter employs solid state circuits switched between saturated and off conditions to prevent circuit component failures from masking approach motion. The ring sustain time period is arranged to provide a minimum constant warning time regardless of variations in train movement, so long as train velocity is maintained above a predetermined threshold within a predetermined distance from the crossing.