Consist Performance

[oarb00]

How are the other units in a consist monitored? Are there instruments in the lead unit that give feedback, or is a loss of performance the only indication that a unit has dropped off line? How would you know if you are about to burn up the traction moters of an older unit from the cab of an ES44AC etc. Is a helper on the rear monitored the same way when running distributed power mode?

Also, here in St. Paul I see many freights on the BNSF and CPR running all loco's elephant style, the locals and transfers generally have them running back to back. I assume the ones I see elephant style are over the road trains. Is there a benefit to running them one way or the other? Or are they consisted in the yard in which ever direction they happen to be pointed?

Thanks.

[traisessive1]

You won't know if something is wrong until you notice that loss of performace or get an alarm With the DP units, it's ther same thing. If anything electrical or mechanical goes wrong with the units you won't know until it happens.

 As for the direction they face ... usually they will just throw em together whichever way they are facing but sometimes they do put them back to back on purpose so there is no need to turn them for the return trip.

[carnej1]

The September issue of TRAINS Magazine has an excellent article about Distributed Power and it's expanding application in the North American RR industry. All of the major railroads use the GE built Locotrol DP system (installed in both GE and EMD locomotives). The newest versions of Locotrol allow the engineer of a train using distributed power a couple of ways to control the power. They can synch the head end units with the rear end/mid train locomotives so that all the units respond to the throttle/brake inputs from the lead locomotive. The system will also allow the engineer to independently control the DP units from the Locotrol panel in the lead unit.

It's worth reading..