Fuel efficient control of multiple unit locomotive consists

Patent · Tue Jul 22 04:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:5340163

Perlmutter, L

A fuel conserving control apparatus is described for a multiple unit locomotive consist having a lead locomotive, a plurality of trail locomotives, and throttle circuits for the locomotives all normally having the same condition as the throttle circuit of the lead locomotive to operate all locomotives at substantially the same power level in a manual mode of operation. The improvement described here consists of: means for setting a set speed at which it is desired for the consist to operate; means for sensing the actual speed of the consist; means for operating the consist in a fuel save mode of operation in which the throttle circuits of the trail locomotives are adjusted automatically to sequentially increase or decrease the power levels of the locomotives in discrete increments to effect substantial conformity of the actual speed with the set speed; means for establishing minimum and maximum speeds of the consist; and means for confining the set speed to the range between the minimum and maximum speeds.

• Assignee: K.C. Southern Railway Co., Kansas City, MO
• Patent Number(s): US 4602335
• OSTI ID: 5340163
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320202* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Transportation-- Railway
COMPUTERIZED CONTROL SYSTEMS
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
CONTROL SYSTEMS
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
ENERGY CONSERVATION
EQUIPMENT
FUEL ECONOMY
LOCOMOTIVES
SPEED REGULATORS
TRAINS
VEHICLES
VELOCITY