AUXILLIARY SMART POWER SYSTEM FOR ECP EQUIPPED TRAIN

• US 20110126732A1
• Filed: 05/11/2010
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: New York Air Brake Corporation (Knorr-Bremse GmbH)
• Original Assignee: New York Air Brake Corporation (Knorr-Bremse GmbH)
• Inventors: Mclaughlin, Bryan M., Mora, Josemaria, Lumbis, Anthony W.
• Application Number:
  US12/933,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20110126732A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 105/3
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/665 the systems being specially adapted for transferring two or more command signals, e.g. railway systems B60T13/662 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/228 for railway vehicles

Abstract

A controlled power system is in a train having electric controlled pneumatic (ECP) brakes on cars of the train connected to a trainline which carries electric power and control signals and having at lease one auxiliary device on some of the cars. The power system on a car having the auxiliary device includes a power module connecting the auxiliary device to a source of power when activated; and a first controller, including a transceiver, for activating the power module to the connect the source of power to the auxiliary device in response to a power up signal on the trainline.

Claims

1. In a train having electric controlled pneumatic (ECP) brakes on cars of the train connected to a trainline which carries electric power and control signals and having at lease one auxiliary device on some of the cars, a controlled power system on a car having the auxiliary device, the power system comprising:

a power module connecting the auxiliary device to a source of power when activated; and

a first controller, including a transceiver, for activating the power module to the connect the source of power to the auxiliary device in response to a power up signal on the trainline.

2. The power system of claim 1, wherein the source of power is a converter connected to the trainline and converting the power on the trainline to a power level for the auxiliary device.

3. The power system of claim 2, wherein the ECP brake on the car includes a power line junction box with a second controller which communicates on the trainline and includes a car control device with a third controller, for the car brake, connected to the junction box, and the first controller is one of second controller and the third controller.

4. The power system of claim 1, wherein the ECP brake on the car includes a battery and a controller, the power source is the battery and the first controller is the controller of the ECP brake.

5. The power system of claim 1, wherein the ECP brake on the car includes a controller and the first controller is the controller of the ECP brake.

6. The power system of claim 1, wherein the first controller activates the power module only when the power level on the trainline is within a predetermined range and in response to the power up signal.

7. The power system of claim 6, wherein the first controller determines the trainline power level at the car.

8. The power system of claim 6, wherein a locomotive controller determines the trainline power and transmits the power up signal when the trainline power level is within the predetermined range.

9. The power system of claim 1, wherein the first control activates the power module only when the speed of the train is below predetermined speed.

10. The power system of claim 1, wherein the first controller is optical coupled to the power module.

11. The power system of claim 1, wherein the train includes a processor on the locomotive which transmits on the trainline the power up signal to the car having the auxiliary device.

12. The power system of claim 1, including a wayside station which includes a processor which transmits on the trainline the power up signal to the car having the auxiliary device.

13. The power system of claim 1, wherein the car is a dump car and the auxiliary device is actuator of a gate of the dump car.

14. The power system of claim 1, wherein the car includes a hand brake and the auxiliary device is release actuator of the hand brake.