Takarítsunk meg némi gázolajat (cé by J. D. Santucci):
The rail industry consumes thousands of barrels of fuel on a daily basis. Diesel-Electric locomotives feed upon an exclusive diet of #2 diesel fuel. Over the years there have been trials of alternative fuels with limited to moderate success. Several railroads, including Burlington Northern, have tested locomotives equipped to burn liquefied natural gas. Both Union Pacific and the Santa Fe operated natural gas powered switch engines built by Morrison-Knudsen in the Los Angeles area. BN equipped a group of SD40-2 locomotives for service in through freight service during the 80's. Prior to that, they tried the fuel on a couple of GP9's used in local and industry service in Minnesota. Eventually BN gave up on the idea of gas powered engines and both the Geeps and Special Duty units were converted back to diesel fuel.
Union Pacific converted a fleet of units to burn Bunker C oil, a heavy, thick fuel during the 1960's. Bunker C was dirt cheap in those days, cheaper than diesel. This was the primary reason for the conversion. The units involved in the conversion underwent numerous modifications to allow them to burn what essentially was petroleum sludge. As the price of Bunker C began to escalate, UP gave up on the idea and converted this fleet back to diesel fuel.
Diesel fuel has consistently been the tried and true method of powering locomotive prime movers. And just like the average consumer driving their automobiles, the railroads have been subject to the ebbs and flows of fuel prices. And just like the motoring public and car builders, the industry and locomotive manufacturers have risen to the challenge of fuel conservation.
The fuel conservation aspect has been a greater challenge for locomotive builders than for the car builders. Unlike your automobile, lighter weight materials such as plastics and aluminum cannot be used to lighten up the locomotives for better fuel economy. When it comes to weight, locomotives have to maintain their heavier weights for adhesion to the rail.
One of the first offerings was low idle. This was a relatively simple idea. Whenever the reverser on the controlling locomotive is centered (placed in the center position between forward and reverse), the locomotive's prime mover reduces from its regular idle RPMs to a lower RPM setting. This can be a reduction of 50 to 75 revolutions per minute. While it does not sound like much, it is. As the RPMs are reduced, the amount of fuel required to keep the prime mover running is also reduced. Any and all units in the locomotive consist equipped with the low idle feature will also drop to low idle when the reverser is centered on the controlling locomotive. ElectroMotive Division of GM first introduced this product in the mid-70s. GE didn't follow suit until the very early 80s. Kits have been offered to apply this feature to older locomotives. Numerous locomotives equipped with low idle have a badge or decal on the control stand reminding the Engineer to center the reverser when not moving.
MoPac had the feature applied to all their EMD products built after 1976. They added it to units not previously equipped as well. There was a draw back to the product on some units though. MP15DC units built in the early 80's came standard with the product. However, in wintertime Electricians would have to jump the feature out. In the colder months, with the heaters operating and the unit in low idle, the 74-volt electrical system that supplied power to cab utilities like the refrigerator could not sustain enough energy to keep everything powered properly. To remedy this problem, jumping out the low idle kept everything working.
General Electric units equipped with the low idle had a problem year round with keeping the refrigerators operating normally. The refrigerators would cycle constantly and not maintain adequately cold temperatures. A modification to the locomotive electrical systems was made to alleviate this problem.
The low idle feature was taken a step further in 1980 by EMD. Units would idle at the lower Rpm's whenever the throttle was in the idle position regardless of what position the reverser was in. The Rpm's would increase whenever the throttle was advanced out of idle to run 1 or above. Today, virtually all new locomotives have this feature.
Locomotive component producers developed after market products that promote fuel conservation. Harmon and Servo were two companies that manufactured products that allowed for a simple approach to fuel conservation. Harmon developed "Select-A-Power." Conrail was probably the biggest user of Harmon's product. All of their medium and high horsepower units were equipped with it. MoPac obtained several of these units as well.
Select-A-Power worked relatively easy. Each equipped locomotive had a box mounted above the air brake rack and radio. Indicator lights on the control panel showed you how many working units in the locomotive consist were active and equipped with the feature. When you reached a situation in which you didn't require all the horsepower from the trailing units in the locomotive consist, you pushed a button on the Select-A-Power control panel to reduce working units in the consist. A light would illuminate for a moment telling you the unit was actively engaged in making the change. The rear most trailing unit would then drop back to idle and the light representing that unit would extinguish on the control panel. If you wanted to reduce more power, depressing the button again would drop the next trailing unit to idle. As you needed to add power for grades and maintaining track speed, you depressed the button on the control panel to add a unit or units to power. You could add and subtract units literally at the push of a button. Conrail was very satisfied with Select-A-Power as most of their power was equipped. Only smaller units like older Geeps used primarily in yard service and Switchers were not equipped.
MoPac tried Select-A-Power and Servo's product on a select few units, all GP50's. I cannot recall the marketing name of the Servo product or exactly how it was set up as they only had three units equipped with it. I do recall it had a speedometer built into the display though. A drawback to both of these products was the fact they were not compatible. In fact, a locomotive with a Harmon unit could not be MU'd with locomotive equipped with a Servo unit.
There was another product that allowed for deleting trailing units from responding to the throttle. I have seen them but do not recall the brand name. These units used a selector switch that resembled the headlight control switch. Again, only units equipped with this product would work with it. You simply turned the selector lever to the unit you wished to place into the fuel saver mode and that trailing unit would respond accordingly. I recall seeing this feature on some Grand Trunk Western units.
MoPac also applied a fuel saver switch to all their medium and high horsepower units. This unit was equipped with a toggle switch, placed inside the breaker box in the high voltage cabinet on EMD units and on the wall next to the circuit breaker panel on General Electric units. When switched into the on position, that unit would only respond to throttle positions 1 and 2. The only drawback to this was that if you wanted to set up the feature on trailing units, you would have to journey back to them to either activate or disengage the feature. Normally though, you only used this feature on the lead unit of the locomotive consist.
Most locomotives are set up to provide main reservoir air pressure between 130 and 140 psi. MoPac research demonstrated they could maintain an adequate supply of air pressure for all required systems using a setting of 120 to 130 psi. All the governors on the air compressors were reset to this range. This meant the air compressors did not have to cycle quite as often. The air compressors are powered from the prime mover through a shaft. While the compressor shaft is rotating at all times, the compressor only cycles when there is a demand for air. Whenever the compressor cycles, it draws more power from the prime mover to drive the system. This requires the prime mover to work harder. The less often the compressor has to cycle, the less the prime mover has to work. This resulted in fuel savings.
For years the rail industry allowed for locomotives not ready for service that is, lying over between runs, to sit and idle for hours, sometimes even days. When fuel was cheap, this was no big deal. As fuel prices began to escalate in the 70's, this attitude began to change. Most railroads began to issue instructions requiring power to be shut down when not being used for extended periods of time when ambient temperatures were 45° or above. Chessie System took this a step further. They required units to be shut down whenever the job went to dinner and even coffee. Seaboard System tried the idea of requiring the Engineer to go back and shut down all trailing units in the locomotive consist whenever the train was going to be stopped for any extended period of time, such as while waiting in a siding for meets with several trains. Today, CNIC is talking about using this method.
A product called the Kim Hot Start system was developed. This system allows a locomotive not used for more than ten minutes to automatically shut down. Whenever the unit would be needed, moving the reverser handle would automatically engage the system and restart the locomotive. Several major railroads have obtained this product including Canadian National. Numerous short lines have also obtained this product. This system includes components that measure oil and cooling water temperature. If the temperature gets below a certain point, the unit will automatically start itself to bring the cooling water temperature up to a safe point to prevent the unit from freezing during cold weather.
Several railroads use a system that heats the lube oil and cooling water while the locomotive is shut down. The Elgin, Joliet & Eastern is one road that comes to mind that uses such a product. Locomotives assigned to their Whiting, IN yard are equipped with this feature. When the locomotive is tied up and shut down, a cable is plugged into a receptacle on the locomotive and the power to it energized. This energy is used to power a system that will circulate and heat the cooling water and lube oil. Even in the most bitter cold weather, the lube oil and cooling water are kept at temperature sufficient to keep the prime mover of the locomotive from freezing up.
Metra also uses this product on their passenger locomotives. The cable that is plugged into the train when it is stored overnight and on weekends provides power for heating, cooling and lighting to the entire train as well as to the locomotive. With this system, Metra does not have to use the locomotives at outlying points to provide the power while the equipment is lying over. While they can set the locomotives for "stand by" for the head end power (HEP), this still burns fuel. In stand by, the locomotive revs constantly as if the throttle was set in run 6 to run a generator that creates electricity to power the coaches. Normally when in service on a train, when the HEP is set in the normal mode, the locomotive revs constantly in Run 8. This allows for the locomotive to create electrical energy for traction.
The rail industry developed programs to promote fuel conservation. Some railroads began to offer training for Locomotive Engineers teaching fuel conservation operating procedures. They produced booklets with fuel conservation tips and charts that demonstrate how much fuel per hour a locomotive burns at certain throttle settings. They sent Engineers for training classes. Had I not been furloughed from the MoPac in 1985, I would have attended a week of fuel conservation training at Union Pacific's training center in Salt Lake City. Several Engineers I worked with had already been through the class telling me they gained a great deal of knowledge from it. They also explained some of these procedures to me and I have practiced many of them over the years. Instead, they would not let me attend my scheduled week as I was cut off and not working.
In my career, I have watched many videos that explain fuel conservation techniques. I have talked to many Locomotive Engineers from numerous railroads over the years and exchanged and shared fuel conservation ideas with them. Again, I have practiced many of these techniques throughout my career.
There are many ways for Engineers to promote fuel conservation. In the case of having redundant horsepower in your locomotive consist (extra, not required locomotives), the excess power can be isolated or in warmer weather, shut down. Being that we rarely enjoy this luxury on the CNIC, that doesn't happen too often here. But on the rare occasion it does and when I can, I do comply.
There are numerous ways we have been taught to save fuel in train operations. I will explain several of them to you now.
Throttle Modulation
This is a method of using the throttle, terrain, grades and curvature for optimum fuel conservation. Reducing the throttle at strategic locations and using uphill grades and curves can greatly assist in reducing speed where it may be required. If I have a block signal indicating that I must reduce my speed to enter a siding, I have several options to reduce my speed. I can drive right up to the signal and power brake by taking reductions in brake pipe pressure to set the train brakes while working the throttle hard and slowing down at the last moment. I might use reduced throttle braking which uses air brakes against the throttle, but at a lower throttle setting. I can use throttle modulation if the conditions allow. Dropping the throttle and using any bit of grade can reduce my speed. It may take a little longer, but this is what the industry desires. If there is a bit of curve, this will also help reduce speed. The bind of the curve provides for rolling resistance. My other choice is to use dynamic braking to reduce my speed.
Throttle modulation can also be used to maintain speed over undulating terrain. This would be areas of short and numerous grades often referred to as hog backs or camel backs. Instead of using air brakes for assistance, the throttle and the lay of the land are used.
Dynamic Brakes
Most railroads require dynamic braking as the preferred choice for reducing speed and stopping trains. Dynamic Braking is basically the reversing of polarity between the traction motors and main generator. Under throttle or motoring, the main generator converts mechanical force of the prime mover (diesel engine) into electrical energy. This electrical energy is what powers the traction motors connected to each axle on the locomotive. With dynamic braking, this polarity is reversed and the traction motors are turned into generators. This retards their rotation causing a braking effect that is measured in amperage. The retarded wheel rotation begins to slow the train. Very little fuel is required to operate the dynamic brakes. Most of the power used is to support ancillary functions such as the fans used for cooling the resister grids. The energy created by dynamic braking is sent to a resister grid. This grid is akin to the grids inside of a toaster, although there are more coils spaced much closer together. The cooling fans draw outside air in through the grid to cool them off and dissipate the heat created in the dynamic braking mode.
On certain electric locomotives and rapid transit cars, the dynamic brake is actually a regenerative braking system. The energy created by the dynamic braking is returned to the electrical transmission system, be it overhead wire or third rail. This offers a financial saving to these operations as they get that electricity back making that much less they have to purchase from local utilities.
EMD locomotives built prior to 1985 have a bulge in the top center of the car body. Inside this bulge is the resister grid. Above the bulge, one or two fans are mounted to draw the air in through the louvers on the side of the bulge. All units built in 1985 and since have the dynamic brake grid placed right behind the high voltage cabinet, which is right behind the cab. Moving the grid to this location offers cleaner and cooler air to be drawn into the grid for the cooling process resulting in fewer failures with the system.
Dynamic braking requires more distance and patience though. When making the transition from motoring to dynamic, you must first wait ten seconds to assure that all amperage to the traction motors has decayed. After the wait is finished, you move the dynamic controller into the "Set Up" position. You must then begin take up the slack in the train using lower settings on the dynamic controller. You are bunching up the train. This requires a gentle touch as too much buff action when taking up the slack can cause a car to derail. Once the slack is taken up, you can safely begin to increase the effort of dynamic braking. Dynamic is most efficient at speeds below 40 mph. At 28 mph is when dynamic braking effort is at its greatest. More distance may be required for using dynamics for slowing and stopping.
Unfortunately on many occasions, there is only dynamic brakes on the lead unit in the locomotive consist. When pulling a 12 or 14,000 ton train, the single unit with dynamic brakes will not sufficiently slow and stop the train under most situations. This makes the dynamic almost useless in many situations, or if used, it must be used with the air brakes.
Reduced Throttle Braking
In the past, we have used stretch power braking (also referred to as stretch braking or just power braking) to slow and stop trains. In the days of cabooses, this method was almost required. You were trying to keep the slack stretched as much as possible to avoid banging the boys in the back all over the place and causing a possible injury.
Stretch or power braking, meant you would keep the throttle in a higher throttle setting like run 7 or 8. You apply the air brakes to the train and continue to work the power hard against the brake applications. The train is slowing, but you are keeping the slack stretched tight. I learned this method when I first began to learn to run trains. The industry does not want us to perform stretch braking as it burns more fuel.
However, there are some cases when, contrary to what they tell us, it is almost necessary for good train handling.
Reduced throttle braking has you still working power against the brake applications, but instead of higher throttle settings, you use a throttle position of no higher than run 4. You are keeping the slack stretched somewhat in this method. Now that there are no longer cabooses to contend with, a little bit of slack action in the back is no longer a major issue. FRED does not complain about a bump or two here or there.
CNIC does not practice any method of train make up. This would be the placement of loads and empties through out the train. In many cases, we have a bunch of heavy loads at, or very close to, the tail end of the train. And in many of these cases, there is often a block of empty cars right ahead of these loads. Using the company desired method of reduced throttle braking can lead to excessive run in of the slack creating severe in-train forces which might cause a derailment.
On some occasions, we will get a large block of empty stone hoppers on the head end of the train. Behind them will be a bunch of loads scattered throughout the train. In this situation, reduced throttle braking can lead to problems. Even though these problems don't seem to happen in the simulators, they do happen in the real world. In this case, good judgment sometimes overrules company demands.
Zero Throttle Braking
This is a very different method that can only be used under certain conditions. In my experiences with using it, this method has worked very well. The only place I have found I could use it is on long, descending grades. I used to use this method when bringing trains down Byron Hill in Wisconsin. As I started the descent, I would reduce the throttle to run 4, then make a minimum reduction (5 to 7 psi) of the automatic brake valve, which applies the train brakes. Once the slack was adjusted in the train, I would reduce the throttle to idle, center the reverser handle and let the train roll down the five a half miles of grade. The speed would normally hold at the maximum 40 MPH as the train brakes and the bind of the numerous curves were working for me.
Upon reaching the bottom of the hill, there was a long curve up to the east end of Valley Siding and a bit of an ascending grade. I could now begin to open the throttle and advance it as needed to begin to start pulling the train again. The brakes were still applied and if I had to stop at the west end of Valley, I could do so easily with throttle modulation and, if necessary, an additional application of the train brakes.
The locomotive builders have made significant progress in fuel conservation through the use of microprocessors. All high horsepower locomotives built since the mid 80's are equipped with computers. Some railroads and also several contract locomotive shops have added microprocessors to some of older high horsepower locomotives as well. Savings have been realized in fuel costs with this addition. The microprocessor-equipped locomotives have contributed greatly to economical operations returning on the investment in them.
Another item the locomotive builders have begun using are electric air compressors. Instead of being connected directly to the prime mover through a drive shaft, the compressor is powered by an electric motor. The motor is far more energy efficient requiring less energy to operate resulting in more fuel economy.
Recently, CNIC issued a notice stating the while tonnage has not increased, fuel consumption has. Of course, they have placed the onus on us, the Locomotive Engineers to save fuel. However, there are many instances where as Locomotive Engineers, we are totally powerless to do anything more than we already do in practicing fuel conservation.
Aside from the overweight and under powered trains, we have numerous situations in which to deal with. First off, we'll start with smoking locomotives. When a locomotive is smoking excessively, more often than not, this is from incomplete combustion. The incomplete combustion is often the result of a mechanical problem such as a bad injector or power assembly. What this all means is the locomotive is not completely burning all the fuel it is using. That means more fuel consumed to do the same amount of work. This would be akin to driving your car while towing a boat and trailer when the car needs a tune up. You can pull that boat, you are just using far more fuel than necessary.
Locomotives that are not loading the full amount of amperage under specific circumstances also waste fuel. A 3000 horsepower unit that is only producing 2600 or 2700 horsepower as a result of the loading problem is also wasting fuel. You are burning up just as much fuel to get less output.
Then there are operating exigencies. Whenever the Dispatcher does not line a route for my train in a timely fashion, I have to begin to slow the train. Whenever I encounter an approach (yellow) signal indicating I may proceed, prepared to stop before passing the next signal, I attempt to contact the Dispatcher first. If this fails, I must begin to reduce my speed and prepare to stop at the next signal. I can never assume the Dispatcher will line me up in time. If they don't and I am not prepared to stop, there is an excellent chance I could get by the stop signal and then get into really serious trouble.
So now I am slowing down my train. As I get close to that next signal, it changes to a more favorable signal and I can proceed. But I have already reduced my speed. I have taken momentum and energy out of my train. Now, I have to begin to accelerate again. The momentum and energy must be put back into the train. This is a big waste of fuel. In some cases, we don't get the signal and have to stop. Now we are sitting and waiting for no reason other than not being lined up in a timely manner. At some point, we will either get the signal or a call wanting to know why we are not moving. Now, we get to restart the train from a stop. All of the energy and momentum have been removed from the train and we must basically start from scratch. Even more fuel is wasted. I have sat at stop signals for ten to fifteen minutes (and longer) for no reason other than not being lined up. This is a total waste. And it happens far more often than many people are willing to admit.
Speed restrictions owing to track conditions are also a factor. This would be similar to stop and go driving your car. Slowing down for a speed restriction and then resuming normal speed once you are clear has the same effect I describe in the above paragraph.
A common occurrence in my days at the Wisconsin Central was trains too big for the railroad over which we operated. We only had three long sidings on the route between Fond du Lac and Schiller Park, and another two that allowed us to "double in." This meant cutting the train and doubling the excess into a track auxiliary to the siding or main track so as to be able to clear up for an opposing train. If we had to double in, the opposing train we were meeting would have to stop back a ways and wait for us to make this move. Then he would start his train again and pass us. After he was clear and we received the signal, we would have to put our train back together again, pump up the air from zero (cycling those air compressors) and wait while the Conductor walks up back up to the engines.
In many cases, we would be told of having to meet another land barge type train. We would be held at one of the few long sidings and then sit and wait for an hour or more for one train. This has also happened at CNIC. There have been cases where our train has been too long to fit into many of the sidings. As a result, somebody has to sit and wait. Fuel is being burned to sit and wait for extended periods of time. We are not alone here either as I hear from friends at other railroads telling similar stories.
And of course, there is that single track thing that I have discussed many times in the past. Stopping, sitting and starting numerous times also plays an important role in fuel consumption.
In the meantime though, I continue make a diligent effort to try to save some fuel under the circumstances in which I am required to work. The bulletin issued stated the Supervisors of Locomotive Engineers are to periodically pull the event recorder tapes and observe them to monitor our compliance. If they want compliance, then I am gong to give them 100% whenever possible. Of course this may increase my running times but, I guess that is just part of that big picture.
But I guess when the Trainmasters leave the motors (and air conditioners) running on the company trucks and cars most all of the time even when they are not in them, that does not count. Gasoline, also consumed in fair quantities by the industry must not count in the conservation equation.
