General Electric Company

Chi-Houng Eddie Lu

Ajith Kuttannair Kumar

Anthony W Giammarise

Vishwesh M Palekar

John Polley

Robert Dean King

Leonard Hill

A system and method for controlling an application of a friction modifying agent to an area of contact between a railway wheel and a railway rail over which the wheel is traversing to selectively modify the coefficient of friction at the contact area. A sensor is used for detecting a parameter relating to the operation of the railway train. A controller is responsive to the sensor for selecting one or more of a plurality of friction modifying agents and controls the application of the agent to the rail as a function of the parameter. An applicator is responsive to the controller and applies the friction modifying agent to the area of contact between the railway wheel and rail. A second application of the agent may be predicated upon the effectiveness of a first application of the agent. The selection of the appropriate agent may include a consideration of a current location of the railway vehicle.

Apparatus and method for controlled application of railway friction modifying agent

A hybrid power locomotive system has a plurality of combustion engines for driving a plurality of electric power generators that supply electric power to at least one traction battery. The battery is connected to supply power to a plurality of electric traction motors coupled in driving relationship to respective ones of a plurality of wheel-axle sets of the locomotive. At least one traction motor drive is connected for controlling power to the electric traction motors. An electric power controller is arranged for coupling electric power from the power generators to the battery and senses the available energy in the battery and the power demand from the traction drives for activating selected ones of the plurality of combustion engines for charging the battery.

Multiple engine hybrid locomotive

A system and method for friction management for managing and controlling an application of a friction modifying agent to an area of contact between a railway wheel and a railway rail over which the wheel is traversing to selectively modify the coefficient of friction at the contact area. The system comprises a sensor for detecting a parameter relating to the operation of the railway train. A controller is responsive to the sensor and controls the application of a friction modifying agent to the rail as a function of the parameter. An applicator is responsive to the controller and applies the friction modifying agent to the area of contact between the railway wheel and rail. The invention also includes a method for railway train friction management for managing and controlling the application of friction modifying agent to an area of contact between railway wheel and railway rail over which the wheel is traversing to selectively modify the coefficient of friction at the contact area. The method comprises sensing a parameter related to the operation of the railway train and applying the friction modifying agent to the area of contact between the railway wheel and rail as a function of the sensed parameter.

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Erie, PA, United States of America

Chi-Houng Eddie Lu