EVALUATION TECHNIQUES FOR LOCOMOTIVE PERFORMANCE (FUEL ECONOMY, ADHESION, TRACTIVE EFFORT)

With the advent of a computerized data collection and processing system at Southern Pacific, significant advances have been made in measuring the actual operating performance of locomotives. The combination of hardware and software that has been developed has enabled the locomotives' performance to be monitored in real-time, whether it is fuel consumption, tractive effort or adhesion characteristics. On-board, computerized graphical output enhances the usability of the data collected. Performance evaluation techniques are discussed, as are differences between design performance and actual performance. Recommendations are made as to more pertinent measures of performance, based upon output of the locomotive as a system.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contributed by the Rail Transportation Division of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for presentation at the Joint ASME/IEEE Railroad Conference, April 28-30, 1981.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Mechanical Engineers

  Two Park Avenue
  New York, NY  United States  10016-5990
• Authors:
  • Andresen, J
• Publication Date: 1981-1

Media Info

• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: 15 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Adhesion; Data collection; Diesel electric locomotives; Fuel consumption; Information processing; Locomotive operations; Locomotives; Minicomputers; Monitoring; Traction; Vehicle performance
• Identifier Terms: Southern Pacific Railroad
• Old TRIS Terms: Locomotive performance; Tractive effort
• Subject Areas: Energy; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00334684
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 81-RT-1 Conf Paper
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 9 1981 12:00AM