1. A system that can route client signals among a plurality of nodes interconnected by one or more fiber optic cables to form an optical network, the system comprising:
(a) a subchannel mapper that can map each of a plurality of client signals to any available subchannel of any ITU channel, wherein each ITU channel has a predefined ITU frequency and a corresponding plurality of subchannels, and wherein each subchannel has an associated frequency with a predetermined offset from the predefined ITU frequency of the subchannel’s corresponding ITU channel;
(b) a first network route that designates the origin of a first client signal at a first node, and a destination for the first client signal at a second node; and
(c) a tunable laser at the first node that can be set to a first subchannel frequency for which the second node has a filter to receive signals transmitted at that subchannel frequency,
(d) whereby the system can route the client signal from the first node to the second node by tuning the laser to the first subchannel frequency and mapping the client signal to the subchannel associated with that subchannel frequency.
2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a fixed adddrop filter that can add or receive client signals transmitted at a predetermined subchannel frequency.
3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a reconfigurable adddrop filter that can be remotely reconfigured to add or receive client signals transmitted at one of a plurality of remotely specified subchannel frequencies.
4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a hardware optical crossconnect switch that can assign each of a plurality of client signals to any of a plurality of available subchannel frequencies, thereby effectively routing any client signal to an available port of any or all nodes of the optical network.
5. The system of claim 1, further comprising software that can remotely set the tunable laser to a second subchannel frequency and add a second network route, thereby effectively controlling the direction in which a second client signal is transmitted on the optical network, as well as the destination nodes that will receive that second client signal.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein subchannel hopping is employed as a security measure to modify over time the subchannel, and associated subchannel frequency, to which a second client signal is mapped.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the destination for the first client signal is embedded in the in-band overhead channel of the signal containing as its payload the first client signal, thereby enabling the first client signal to be routed by monitoring the overhead channel.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the destination is embedded in the overhead channel in the form of one of the following: (i) an ethernet address; (ii) an IP address; (iii) an MPLS tag; (iv) a VLAN ID; or (v) a TCP port.
9. A method for routing client signals among a plurality of nodes interconnected by one or more fiber optic cables to form an optical network, the method comprising the following steps:
(a) mapping each of a plurality of client signals to any available subchannel of any ITU channel, wherein each ITU channel has a predefined ITU frequency and a corresponding plurality of subchannels, and wherein each subchannel has an associated frequency with a predetermined offset from the predefined ITU frequency of the subchannel’s corresponding ITU channel;
(b) designating the origin of a first client signal at a first node, and a destination for the first client signal at a second node; and
(c) setting a tunable laser at the first node to a first subchannel frequency for which the second node has a filter to receive signals transmitted at that subchannel frequency,
(d) whereby the client signal can be routed from the first node to the second node by tuning the laser to the first subchannel frequency and mapping the client signal to the subchannel associated with that subchannel frequency.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of adding or receiving client signals, at a predetermined subchannel frequency, via a fixed adddrop filter.
11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of remotely reconfiguring a reconfigurable adddrop filter to add or receive client signals transmitted at one of a plurality of remotely specified subchannel frequencies.
12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of assigning, via a hardware optical crossconnect switch, each of a plurality of client signals to any of a plurality of available subchannel frequencies, thereby effectively routing any client signal to an available port of any or all nodes of the optical network.
13. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of remotely setting the tunable laser to a second subchannel frequency to control the direction in which a second client signal is transmitted on the optical network, and determine the destination nodes that will receive that second client signal.
14. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of modifying over time the subchannel, and associated subchannel frequency, to which a second client signal is mapped, thereby employing subchannel hopping as a security measure.
15. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of embedding the destination for the first client signal in the in-band overhead channel of the signal containing as its payload the first client signal, thereby enabling the first client signal to be routed by monitoring the overhead channel.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the destination is embedded in the overhead channel in the form of one of the following: (i) an ethernet address; (ii) an IP address; (iii) an MPLS tag; (iv) a VLAN ID; or (v) a TCP port.
17. A method for protecting client signals routed along redundant paths among a plurality of nodes interconnected by one or more fiber optic cables to form an optical network, the method comprising the following steps:
(a) mapping each of a plurality of client signals to any available subchannel of any ITU channel, wherein each ITU channel has a predefined ITU frequency and a corresponding plurality of subchannels, and wherein each subchannel has an associated frequency with a predetermined offset from the predefined ITU frequency of the subchannel’s corresponding ITU channel;
(b) defining a working network route that designates the origin of a first client signal at a first node, a destination for the first client signal at a second node, and a working path from the first node to the second node;
(c) defining a protected network route that designates the origin of the first client signal at the first node, a destination for the first client signal at the second node, and a protected path from the first node to the second node;
(d) transmitting the first client signal to the second node along both the working path and the protected path, wherein the first client signal is mapped to both a first subchannel of any ITU channel for transmission along the working path, and a second subchannel of any ITU channel for transmission along the protected path; and
(e) determining whether the second node will receive the first client signal via the working path or the protected path, wherein the working path is selected by default, except in the event of a failure along the working path, in which case the protected path is selected until the failure has been repaired.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein each of a plurality of working paths has a corresponding dedicated protected path.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein the protected path can be shared among a plurality of working paths, each assigned to a different subchannel.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A rail car for carriage of over-the-road trailers, comprising:
a wheel set, said wheel set comprising at least one axle connected to a pair of flanged rail wheels, said wheel set further comprising a suspension package;
a frame, said frame generally L-shaped and having a front end and a rear end, said frame comprising
a deck for support of a trailer, said deck extending between first end and a second end, said deck adapted to slope downward toward said second end during rail transit operation;
a generally vertically extending bumper located at or adjacent the second end of said deck;
a rear base, said rear base located rearward of said bumper, said rear base having (a) a lower side resting on and suspended by said suspension package, and (b) and an upper side;
a front coupler;
a rear coupler; and
a lock, said lock adapted for securing a trailer to said rail car.
2. The rail car as set forth in claim 1, further comprising one or more support members, said support members extending forward of said frame, said one or more support members of length LS sufficient to reach said upper side of a rear base of a next forward rail car in a set of N rail cars, wherein N is a positive integer greater than one.
3. The rail car as set forth in claim 2, wherein two support members are provided.
4. The rail car as set forth in claim 1, wherein said deck comprises a left track portion and a right track portion, said left track portion and right track portion sized and shaped for support of a trailer having dual left wheels and dual right wheels.
5. The rail car as set forth in claim 4, wherein said left track portion has a first inner edge, and wherein said right track portion has a second inner edge, and where said first inner edge and said second inner edge define a gap between said left track portion and said right track portion.
6. The rail car as set forth in claim 5, wherein said rail car is further configured for transport of a semi-trailer having landing gear, and wherein said first inner edge further comprises a first outwardly protruding cutout a distance D1 forward from said bumper that defines a narrowed length L1 of said left track portion, and wherein said second inner edge further comprises a second outwardly protruding cutout a distance D2 forward from said bumper that defines a narrowed length L2 of said right track portion, said first outwardly protruding cutout and said second outwardly protruding cutout providing sufficient width W for passage through said deck of landing gear of a selected semi-trailer.
7. The rail car as set forth in claim 6, further comprising a first deck insert corresponding to the size and shape of said first outwardly protruding cutout, and a second deck insert corresponding to the size and shape of said second outwardly protruding cutout.
8. The rail car as set forth in claim 7, wherein said first deck insert is hinged to said left track portion, and wherein said second deck insert is hinged to said right track portion.
9. The rail car as set forth in claim 6, wherein the semi-trailer being transported comprises an upper mating plate and a king pin, and wherein said lock comprises a lower mating plate with adjacent spring loaded clamping jaws, said lower mating plate and clamping jaws adapted to lock the king pin to secure the semi-trailer.
10. Apparatus for support of a pair flanged rail wheels when said pair of flanged rail wheels are abruptly turned from first and second straight rails, comprising:
a curved rail section, said curved rail section sized and shaped to curve sharply from a first straight rail, said curved rail section further comprising a plurality of pin accepting apertures defined by inner edge portions;
a plurality of pins;
a base plate comprising a plurality of pin locating apertures therein; and
wherein said plurality of pin accepting apertures are adapted for accepting pins therethrough to secure said curved rail section at said pin locating apertures in said base plate.
11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 10, further comprising a plurality of rail forming discs, said rail forming discs having disc pin accepting apertures therein, said rail forming discs sized and shaped for rolling support of a flanged rail wheel by placement of a plurality of rail forming discs above said base plate, wherein said plurality of pin accepting apertures are adapted for accepting pins therethrough to secure said rail forming discs at said pin locating apertures in said base plate.
12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said rail forming discs have a tubular cylindrical shape.
13. A method for intermodal transport of over-the-road trailers via rail, comprising:
providing a plurality of rail cars as set forth in claim 1;
providing a plurality of over-the-road trailers;
providing a rail siding;
providing adjacent said rail siding, storage space for said plurality of rail cars when said plurality of rail cars are turned to a spaced apart angled configuration, each rail car spaced apart from adjacent rail cars, and wherein said storage space further comprises ground having a tractor accessible roadway;
providing a lift to lift at least one end of each of said rail cars, one after the other;
lifting a first rail car at a front end, to turn said rail car and place the rail car at a selected angle alpha away from a track direction;
lowering the front end of said rail car to the ground, so that the deck of said rail car is accessible to a tractor;
removing said over-the-road trailer from said rail car using said tractor.
14. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein said over-the-road trailer comprises a semi-trailer having extended landing gear, and wherein said method further comprises releasing said lock before lowering the front end of said rail car to the ground.
15. The method as set forth in claim 14, further comprising loading a semi-trailer on said rail car using said tractor.
16. The method as set forth in claim 15, further comprising lowering the landing gear of said semi-trailer.
17. The method as set forth in claim 16, further lifting said rail car and locking said lock to said semi-trailer.
18. The method as set forth in claim 17, further comprising lifting a first rail car at a front end, to turn said rail car and place the rail car in line with a track direction.
19. The method as set forth in claim 18, further comprising resting said one or more support members on said upper side of said rear base of said rail car.
20. The method as set forth in claim 13, further comprising
providing at least one curved rail section as set forth in claim 10;
providing a plurality of rail forming discs as set forth in claim 11; and setting said curved rail section and setting said plurality of rail forming discs in spaced apart fashion to provide an abrupt angle rail direction change, spaced apart to support said wheel set of said rail car.