DEVICE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING FORMATION OF NUMBER OF LOCOMOTIVE

摘要

An electronic control system for automatically controlling the locomotive units of a multiple unit locomotive consist in a manner to maintain a selected speed of the consist with minimum fuel consumption. The control system includes a microprocessor and related hardware for each unit in the consist. Control and acknowledgement signals are transmitted among the locomotive units along a single train line wire to vary the output power of each unit among full power, half power and idle speed settings while maintaining the consist at the desired set speed. The hardware is arranged to direct the control and acknowledgement signals to the proper locomotive units while transmitting in both directions along the train line wire. The software for the microprocessors takes into account the acceleration and deceleration of the consist in adjusting the power output of the locomotive units.