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Re: Pneumatic and Electro-Pneumatic Braking
Author: EVO
Date: 10-02-2008 - 00:54
Just some notes on E-P (ECP) brakes.
We now have a number installions in Australia from a number of manufacturers.
BHP Billiton (Iron Ore) have been running one of their iron ore trains in the North West of Western Australia using an ECP (E-P) braking system that has been supplied by GE Harris (or what they are called today). The consist is traditionally made up of between 240 and 340 ore cars with at leats 4 and sometimes 6 locomotives. These are usually divided into two groups utilising 2 or three on the head end and the other 2 or 3 in middle somewhere using locotrol, although there are time when all 4 or all 6 are on the head end.
The back system doesn't use a train lined cable, instaetd control signals are provided by radion control and the system is intergrated with locotrol. Each cars has an axle generator to keep the power supply batteries charged. Failure of the system results in the car revertinb ack to normal air brake control. The system is operated from the heading by locomotives fitted with eiother EPIC or CCBII, locomotive equipped with 26L or 30ACDW are supplied with a seperate controler for ECP operation.
This system, although a trial system and installed at about the same time as those trialing UP and BNSF is still in operation. Trials have also been conducted with combination air and ECP braked fleets.
FMG (Fortesque Metals Group) a new player in the Western Austrailian iron ore market has recently (mid May 2008) started running its ore trains. Of similar length to the BHP trains (mentioned above) therir entire fleet of cars is equipped with an ECP system supplied KNORR.
This operates very similar to your description above and has a train line cable as well as the brake pipe. Stopping distances for a 29,000 tonne ore train travelling at 90 kPh is between 700 and 900 metres. A substantial (quote-unquote) improve over standard brakes.
The Dash 9 locomotives used by FMG are equipped with the KNORR CCBII.
The is also a system that has been operating in grain service in queensland for well over 10 years, although I am not absolutelysure who supplied the system, I think it is a WEABCO systems.
We now have a number installions in Australia from a number of manufacturers.
BHP Billiton (Iron Ore) have been running one of their iron ore trains in the North West of Western Australia using an ECP (E-P) braking system that has been supplied by GE Harris (or what they are called today). The consist is traditionally made up of between 240 and 340 ore cars with at leats 4 and sometimes 6 locomotives. These are usually divided into two groups utilising 2 or three on the head end and the other 2 or 3 in middle somewhere using locotrol, although there are time when all 4 or all 6 are on the head end.
The back system doesn't use a train lined cable, instaetd control signals are provided by radion control and the system is intergrated with locotrol. Each cars has an axle generator to keep the power supply batteries charged. Failure of the system results in the car revertinb ack to normal air brake control. The system is operated from the heading by locomotives fitted with eiother EPIC or CCBII, locomotive equipped with 26L or 30ACDW are supplied with a seperate controler for ECP operation.
This system, although a trial system and installed at about the same time as those trialing UP and BNSF is still in operation. Trials have also been conducted with combination air and ECP braked fleets.
FMG (Fortesque Metals Group) a new player in the Western Austrailian iron ore market has recently (mid May 2008) started running its ore trains. Of similar length to the BHP trains (mentioned above) therir entire fleet of cars is equipped with an ECP system supplied KNORR.
This operates very similar to your description above and has a train line cable as well as the brake pipe. Stopping distances for a 29,000 tonne ore train travelling at 90 kPh is between 700 and 900 metres. A substantial (quote-unquote) improve over standard brakes.
The Dash 9 locomotives used by FMG are equipped with the KNORR CCBII.
The is also a system that has been operating in grain service in queensland for well over 10 years, although I am not absolutelysure who supplied the system, I think it is a WEABCO systems.
