Locomotives for passenger, freight, and switching duty are complex electromechanical systems that generate information on the availability and status of a variety of critical subsystems. How control cab personnel interact with and respond to these messages affects the efficiency, safety, and reliability of locomotives, with potentially significant impacts on uptime availability and operating costs.
Conventional system status modules include up to 6 illuminated indicators per unit that display "ready" or "warning" states for various critical subsystems. There can be 5 to 7 modules in an operator control cab. As part of the locomotive startup routine, each module must be tested independently by the cab crew, a time-consuming process that slows ready time and may increase operator error. Replacing modules often is a maintenance headache that involves costly removal and lamp replacement. Illumination in most status modules uses power-hungry incandescent lamps, with relatively short service lives of approximately 5,000 to 10,000 hours, which are susceptible to premature failure from shock, vibration, and power fluctuations. Incandescent lamps are associated with reduced reliability and decreased energy efficiency in the challenging environment of an operating locomotive. Now EAO, an OEM supplier of indicator modules to a wide range of locomotive manufacturers, has developed a systems status module that helps address these issues.
Protecting a Huge Investment
To operate trains more efficiently and contain skyrocketing operational costs, railroad managers are making use of monitoring solutions that increase productivity. A new locomotive costs $1.75 million or more with a life expectancy of about 30 years; maintenance costs can range from $35,000 to as high as $100,000 a year. Normal maintenance costs plus repair or replacement of failed parts may exceed the initial cost of a locomotive over its lifetime. These clearly are investments that require constant attention to achieve optimum performance and service life.
To meet safety and performance objectives, crews need to be assured that locomotives are in proper working order before leaving the yard. One clear contributor to assuring locomotive performance and safety is the attention the industry has given to human factors in the design and evaluation of new and existing locomotive cabs. The need for improvement has been closely examined by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) in its assessment of standards developed by the Association of American Railroads on crashworthiness and working conditions that affect safety and productivity. The FRA's conclusion is that the two most important factors are working conditions and the incorporation of information technology.
HMI Expertise
Working conditions broadly encompass everything from how much sleep operators need to seating comfort and cab layout. EAO’s experts in human-machine interface (HMI) design control systems and switching components to exacting ergonomic standards. The goal is to make interaction between operator and machine safer, easier, more intuitive, and more productive by understanding the unique needs of operators in various application situations.
EAO's new system status module not only better serves the special needs of locomotive operators but is also more reliable than existing units. The 6-indicator status module accepts alarm and status signals from a variety of locomotive subsystems, including braking, propulsion, positive train control, surveillance, HVAC, and sander systems, as well as many other sources. It is engineered for quick, easy retrofit in standard cab console panel openings. A typical locomotive cab may include 4 or 5 modules in the forward-facing control console and 2 or 3 modules in the head-end power (HEP) or electric train supply (ETS) console.
Cost-Effective Solution
The EAO system status modules use efficient light-emitting diode (LED) illumination, which is written into specifications for today's new generation of locomotives, designed for low emissions/low power consumption. LEDs use 90% less power than conventional incandescent bulbs and last 100,000 hours -- 10 times the service life of incandescent bulbs -- providing a high level of reliability. The improved module design, which costs no more than existing units, satisfies railroads' mandate for optimum performance and green, efficient energy usage.
System status modules from EAO improve cab ergonomics, speed up system check time to get locomotives out on the tracks faster, lower maintenance costs, and virtually eliminate bulb replacement. Advantages of the new EAO modules include:
- Modules incorporate streamlined, flush-mount sealed LED indicators with no raised obstructions on the cab control console.
- A single button allows operators to test all LED indicators in a module at once.
- With their external contacts, multiple modules are easily daisy chained to allow a one-button test of all module LEDs at once.
- The long service life of locomotives makes compatibility with previous systems an important issue when considering replacement products. EAO modules exactly match existing console opening dimensions for easy drop-in and include quick-connect 0.25 in. terminations for trouble-free connection to existing wire harnesses.
- Indicator marking and lens colors are supplied to customer specifications as part of the module package.
- Modules provide enhanced performance without a premium price.
Railroad operators are requesting innovative technology in the locomotive control cab, and expert ergonomic design affects how the engineer performs his or her job. With innovations like EAO's status alert module, engineers can quickly identify potential problems so locomotives spend more time working for the railroad instead of in the shop undergoing maintenance and repairs.