Question to anyone.
On these new 1:1 Diesels are the DPUs operated by cable or wireless radio and how much engine data can the engineer access? Some of the trains out west have 6 or more units.I was wondering if one DPU quits wil it just be dragged along?
Thanks
Lee
There are radio links between the front end power and the DPUs. I know they are more sophisticated than the info available via the old standby MU hoses, but not sure how much. The crew would be advised if a DPU went offline in some form or fashion. If it does go down, yes, it's just along for the ride at least to the next terminal, unless the grade/profile of the track is such that further assistance with a replacement unit is required.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
DPU control is by radio. The lead controlling engine can control up to 4 remote DP consists. When you have multiple engines in a remote consist, only one is actually set up to receive the radio commands. The other engine(s) in that remote consist are MUed in the normal way to that remote consist DP control engine.
The engineer on the lead consist has information on throttle status, whether in power or dynamic brake and throttle position and tractive/dynamic brake effort; main reservoir, equalizing reservoir, brake pipe and locomotive brake cylinder pressures. Also the status of the DP; normal operation, automatic brake cut out, set out mode and a few others. The engineer can get alarm notices but mostly along the lines that there is a problem, not necessarily what the problem is. When the remote consist has multiple engines, only the remote controlling engine information registers on the engineer's screen.
Jeff
Generally, they don't like moving a train with a failed DP engine beyond a point where something can be done to fix the situation. It depends on what the failure is as to what happens to the DP. It might be set out of the train or moved to the lead consist and the train conventionalized with an EOT. If it's still usable as a controlling remote, another engine might be MUed to it.
Thanks Guys
I enjoy the "Trainpictures.net" and some of the trains out west may have 3 engines in the front, 3 in back and a couple in the middle. I was wondering how the Engineer can keep track of all that power.Amazing.
Thanks all.
Yeah, it can be a LOT of power. But it's said to significantly improve train handling, because it greatly reduces the effects of slack action and permits faster brake application than having all the power up front.