While this may be ancient history - I found a explanation to a Engineer 'grading system' that CSX was starting to use prior to my retirement.
CSX Engineer Fuel Scorecard FAQs Welcome What is the engineer fuel scorecard? The Engineer Fuel Scorecard is a program designed to highlight the critical role of the locomotive engineer in saving fuel. The person behind the throttle can make the difference between a fuel efficient trip and a fuel wasteful trip. It is designed to recognize and reward engineers who strive to make fuel conservative runs. The existing Engineer Scorecard on the Employee Gateway will have a now contain a Fuel Score tab where engineers can review the fuel consumed and their scores for each trip. How is my fuel burn calculated? Event Recorder information from the ERAD system is processed to develop a fuel burn for your trip. The time spent in each throttle notch and the status of the engine (running not running) is used in combination with the manufacturer's fuel burn ratings to create a fuel burn for your trip. Only trips where all locomotives in the consist are ERAD equipped are counted. In addition, all ERAD data must be received and processed. As the ERAD rollout to all locomotives is completed, a higher percentage of your trips will be scored. Your trip is at departure from the initial terminal and scored on the number of miles your train operates between your origin and arrival at your destination. All data between these points must be available for each locomotive in order for a trip to count. How is my score calculated? Your calculated fuel burn from ERAD is compared to historical ERAD data of fuel burn on similar trips. Similar trips means: Same origin and destination, same HP, same tonnage, same train type. Based on where your trip falls in the historical range, a score is assigned from 0% to 100%. 100% would indicate your score was better (less fuel) than any in ERAD recorded history. 0% would indicate that you used more fuel than any in recorded history. A score in between will indicate your relative ranking, with a higher score indicating a better (more fuel efficient) trip. How can you compare my fuel burn with engineers on other crew districts and geographies? We don't. Your actual fuel burn is only compared to the fuel burn from similar trips. Similar trips means: Same origin and destination, same HP, same tonnage, same mileage, same train type. We do compare the SCORE to other engineers on the system and other divisions. Because the score is a relative number based on performance against history, comparison of the score is valid. Why are none of my trips showing on the Fuel Score tab? In order to count a trip, locomotives must be ERAD equipped and all ERAD data must be received and processed. As the ERAD rollout to all locomotives is completed, a higher percentage of your trips will be scored. Your fuel calculation does not agree with my record of fuel burned as recorded from the engine fuel gauges. The accuracy of the fuel gages on locomotives varies widely. Time in throttle notch is recognized across the industry as a better way to measure fuel. What is Gallons of fuel per KGTM? It is amount of fuel in gallons consumed to move 1,000 gross tons a mile. What about trips using the Trip Optimizer fuel savings system? Trips with TO will be noted, but TO does not normally operate during the entire trip. Trips will be scored and engineers who take advantage of the TO system will be aided in their scores by the system when it is managing the train. How will student engineers who are learning who to power brake affect my score? Power braking always is less fuel efficient than other methods of train handling. We can teach our student engineers to power brake and still attempt to save fuel by considering where and when we power brake and the amount of throttle we are allowing the student engineer to use. Student engineers must learn how to power brake and prior to completing training they must learn how to use TO. My fuel score has gallons difference in a column on the score card with a minus sign in front of the number of gallons. What does this mean? If the trip consumed less fuel than the baseline, the number would be gallons saved. If the trip used more fuel than the baseline, the score will not have the minus sign and the number will be the gallons used in access of the baseline. My fuel score has dollar difference in a column on the scorecard with a minus sign in front of the number. What does this mean? If the trip consumed less fuel than the baseline, the amount (in dollars) of the fuel saved when calculated at Carrier's projected annual fuel price per gallon. If the trip used more fuel than the baseline, the amount (in dollars) of the fuel excessively consumed when calculated as previously stated. How is the cost of fuel calculated? Carrier projects an annual price for a gallon of fuel and uses that price for all calculations of fuel utilization during that year. What happens if the cost of fuel purchased by Carrier during the year is higher than the projected annual price per gallon? Carrier uses the projected price regardless of price fluctuations during a year.
Engineer Fuel Scorecard FAQs Welcome
What is the engineer fuel scorecard?
The Engineer Fuel Scorecard is a program designed to highlight the critical role of the locomotive engineer in saving fuel. The person behind the throttle can make the difference between a fuel efficient trip and a fuel wasteful trip. It is designed to recognize and reward engineers who strive to make fuel conservative runs. The existing Engineer Scorecard on the Employee Gateway will have a now contain a Fuel Score tab where engineers can review the fuel consumed and their scores for each trip.
How is my fuel burn calculated?
Event Recorder information from the ERAD system is processed to develop a fuel burn for your trip. The time spent in each throttle notch and the status of the engine (running not running) is used in combination with the manufacturer's fuel burn ratings to create a fuel burn for your trip.
Only trips where all locomotives in the consist are ERAD equipped are counted. In addition, all ERAD data must be received and processed. As the ERAD rollout to all locomotives is completed, a higher percentage of your trips will be scored. Your trip is at departure from the initial terminal and scored on the number of miles your train operates between your origin and arrival at your destination. All data between these points must be available for each locomotive in order for a trip to count.
How is my score calculated?
Your calculated fuel burn from ERAD is compared to historical ERAD data of fuel burn on similar trips. Similar trips means: Same origin and destination, same HP, same tonnage, same train type. Based on where your trip falls in the historical range, a score is assigned from 0% to 100%. 100% would indicate your score was better (less fuel) than any in ERAD recorded history. 0% would indicate that you used more fuel than any in recorded history. A score in between will indicate your relative ranking, with a higher score indicating a better (more fuel efficient) trip.
How can you compare my fuel burn with engineers on other crew districts and geographies?
We don't. Your actual fuel burn is only compared to the fuel burn from similar trips. Similar trips means: Same origin and destination, same HP, same tonnage, same mileage, same train type. We do compare the SCORE to other engineers on the system and other divisions. Because the score is a relative number based on performance against history, comparison of the score is valid.
Why are none of my trips showing on the Fuel Score tab?
In order to count a trip, locomotives must be ERAD equipped and all ERAD data must be received and processed. As the ERAD rollout to all locomotives is completed, a higher percentage of your trips will be scored.
Your fuel calculation does not agree with my record of fuel burned as recorded from the engine fuel gauges.
The accuracy of the fuel gages on locomotives varies widely. Time in throttle notch is recognized across the industry as a better way to measure fuel.
What is Gallons of fuel per KGTM?
It is amount of fuel in gallons consumed to move 1,000 gross tons a mile.
What about trips using the Trip Optimizer fuel savings system?
Trips with TO will be noted, but TO does not normally operate during the entire trip. Trips will be scored and engineers who take advantage of the TO system will be aided in their scores by the system when it is managing the train.
How will student engineers who are learning who to power brake affect my score?
Power braking always is less fuel efficient than other methods of train handling. We can teach our student engineers to power brake and still attempt to save fuel by considering where and when we power brake and the amount of throttle we are allowing the student engineer to use. Student engineers must learn how to power brake and prior to completing training they must learn how to use TO.
My fuel score has gallons difference in a column on the score card with a minus sign in front of the number of gallons. What does this mean?
If the trip consumed less fuel than the baseline, the number would be gallons saved. If the trip used more fuel than the baseline, the score will not have the minus sign and the number will be the gallons used in access of the baseline.
My fuel score has dollar difference in a column on the scorecard with a minus sign in front of the number. What does this mean?
If the trip consumed less fuel than the baseline, the amount (in dollars) of the fuel saved when calculated at Carrier's projected annual fuel price per gallon. If the trip used more fuel than the baseline, the amount (in dollars) of the fuel excessively consumed when calculated as previously stated.
How is the cost of fuel calculated?
Carrier projects an annual price for a gallon of fuel and uses that price for all calculations of fuel utilization during that year.
What happens if the cost of fuel purchased by Carrier during the year is higher than the projected annual price per gallon?
Carrier uses the projected price regardless of price fluctuations during a year.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Convicted One My personal pet theory is that when autonation comes, velocity will become secondary to inertia. With paid crews no longer a factor, a typical freight might max out at 35 mph. But with all meets orchestrated so precisely that no train stops until reaching it's destination. Placing the "knowledge" on each train... the location, speed, and destination of every train within 500 miles...should not be difficult. With certain failsafes built-in onboard to accomodate communication failures.
My personal pet theory is that when autonation comes, velocity will become secondary to inertia.
With paid crews no longer a factor, a typical freight might max out at 35 mph. But with all meets orchestrated so precisely that no train stops until reaching it's destination. Placing the "knowledge" on each train... the location, speed, and destination of every train within 500 miles...should not be difficult. With certain failsafes built-in onboard to accomodate communication failures.
That is already happening to some extent. We have a new CADX dispatching system that is supposed to interact with the locomotive's PTC integrated Energy Management Systems. It calculates the optimal meeting/passing locations and will have each train run accordingly.
Jeff
jeffhergertAnother view on automation from a surprising source. Note that he doesn't say automation shouldn't or won't happen. Just not as fast as some think or that is the panacea for all out troubles. First Thing We Do Is Automate All the Trains - Railway Age Jeff
Note that he doesn't say automation shouldn't or won't happen. Just not as fast as some think or that is the panacea for all out troubles.
First Thing We Do Is Automate All the Trains - Railway Age
The second thing we do is eliminate 'management'. Without manpower on trains there is no need for management.
Another view on automation from a surprising source.
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