CARRIAGE AND RAILCAR HEATING. CONSUMPTION OF ELECTRIC ENERGY FOR THE HEATING OF CARRIAGES. (DIRECT HEATING OF HEATING BY MEANS OF THE FORCED OR MODULATED AIR SYSTEM) (SNCF-ROLLING STOCK, WINTER 1958/59)

The report gives the results of tests carried out early in 1959 on behalf of ORE by the SNCF using its own carriages, of several different kinds, to determine the electrical energy needed for train heating with each of a number of different kinds of heating system, control system and kind of vehicle. A train of nine carriages was run between Paris and Lyons and back a number of times, both empty and in ordinary commercial service, on stopping trains. Some stationary tests were also carried out with this train. The report brings out the difficulties, due to both natural and other causes, when tests are carried out on the line either with special trains or in ordinary commercial service. On several occasions the weather was very mild and occasionally, in sunshine, actually hot, so that the heating had sometimes to be turned off. The occupation of the different vehicles by passengers was very varied and the actions of the passengers affecting the heating were unrepresentative because of the unusual weather. To obtain really good comparative figures either a very large number of tests in service are needed or use must be made of a testing station such as that now in service at Vienna, but which was, at the time of these tests, only in the very early stages of construction. The report brings out the fact that the more modern types of heating with a forced air circulation, constant or intermittent, requires more energy than the older heating by radiators mainly because of the improved ventilation which these air heating devices provide when the train is stationary or moving at low speed (for passenger trains). This excess reached almost 100% in the most adverse and abnormal circumstances but was more often in the order of 30-40% for these tests and it is estimated that in express service the difference would be in the order of 10-15%. The question of preheating is also dealt with and the important point is brought out that speed of preheating and economy of preheating energy are not altogether compatible with one another or with economy when the train is running. The report also shows that the system of heating of a carriage cannot be considered in isolation but must be considered together with the constructional characteristics of the carriage itself.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Restrictions on the use of this document are contained in the explanatory material.
• Corporate Authors:

  International Union of Railways

  Office of Research and Experiments
  Utrecht,   Netherlands 
• Publication Date: 1961-7

Media Info

• Features: Appendices;
• Pagination: 31 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air conditioning systems; Electric heating; Energy consumption; Heating, cooling and ventilation equipment; Passenger cars; Vehicle design
• Identifier Terms: Societe nationale des chemins de fer francais
• Old TRIS Terms: Passenger car design; Question b30
• Subject Areas: Design; Energy; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00053054
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: International Union of Railways
• Report/Paper Numbers: B30/RP 9/E Intrm Rpt.
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 8 1994 12:00AM