Analysis of the Efficiency of Diesel Locomotive Brake Equipment

The brake equipment in a modern freight locomotive with an electric transmission incorporates an automatic straight brake for controlling the pneumatic brake equipment of the train and locomotive, a locomotive manual straight brake, and an electrodynamic rheostatic brake. The purpose of this paper is to conduct a comparative analysis of the efficiency of different types of diesel locomotive brakes during operation and to determine ways to improve them. Methods: A statistical analysis was conducted on data obtained from contemporary locomotive monitoring systems, focusing on the calculations of heating and wheel tread loosening during extended braking. Results: The analysis of data from remote monitoring of the power plant parameters for 2TE25KM diesel locomotives operating on the Oktyabrskaya, Moskovskaya and Severnaya railways demonstrate that over 83% of adjustment braking cycles are performed using the pneumatic brake shoes of both the train and locomotive. Notably, the locomotive’s auxiliary brake remains unengaged when automatic straight brakes are applied, resulting in the brake shoes and wheel treads of the diesel locomotives being primarily responsible for train braking. Furthermore, the rheostatic braking is used in less than 17% of braking cycles, even though it has the capacity to entirely replace the automatic straight brake and decrease reliance on the locomotive auxiliary brake by 60% at speeds exceeding 10 km/h. Practical significance: Enhancing the efficiency of rheostatic brake systems in diesel locomotives requires the optimization of the control system to uphold the established standards of brake management for locomotive crews during operation.