Portable beacons

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present generally relates to train control systems and more specifically to the integration of portable beacons into train control systems.
Train control systems in the United States have developed automatic train control systems (ATCS).
These have become positive train separation (PTS) for non-vital applications and positive train control (PTC) for vital applications.
Europe has developed a European train control system (ETCS).
These systems include controls on the locomotives as well as scheduling control from a central location.
Train scheduling control have involved identifying train using moving block signaling by itself or in combination with the fixed block signaling.
These are for automatic operation of rapid transit vehicles.
The location of the vehicles relative to each other, a station or a track change are determined and communicated to and from the train.
Generally, way side transponders are used to communicate with the train.
Typical examples are U.
S.
Pat.
Nos.
5,332,100, 5,364,047, and 5,437,422.
These systems deal with known obstacles on the track and the spacing of the trains.
Additional information of work zones which are temporarily set up are communicated to a central location.
This relies on the central location knowing the status and position of the work zone.
Temporary work or operating restriction zones are now defined by flags in the ground adjacent the track.
The color of the flag signifies specific operating restrictions.
The present invention provides a portable beacon to be placed adjacent a railroad track.
The beacon signifies a zone or a rail condition whose presence is to be brought to the train operator's attention.
A navigational positioning is provided at the beacon system for determining its location.
This may be a global positioning system.
The beacon includes a transmitter or transceiver to transmit the location of the beacon to the trains on the track.
The transmitter also transmits operational restrictions for the zone as well as the length of the zone