US Patent 9083861 Visual data collection system for a train

An end-of-train unit for a rear railroad car, including: a housing mountable to a portion of the rear railroad car; a visual data collection device in operative engagement or at least partially integral with the housing and having a field-of-view, wherein the visual data collection device is configured to obtain visual data representative of at least a portion of the area in the field-of-view; and a transmission device in operative engagement or at least partially integral with at least one of the housing and the visual data collection device and configured to transmit the visual data to a processing unit of a forward railroad car. A visual data collection system and method are also provided.