Top of Rail Friction Control: Reductions in Fuel and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Details

• Creators:
  Cotter, John ; Eadie, Don ; Elvidge, David ; Hooper, Norm ; Roberts, Jay ; Makowsky, Tony ; Liu, Yan
• Corporate Creators:
  Kelsan Technologies Corp ; BC Rail ; National Research Council of Canada
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Coefficient of friction
  • Rolling friction
  • Fuel conservation
  • Air quality management
  • Greenhouse gases
• Resource Type:
  Research Paper
• Right Statement:
  Public Domain
• Geographical Coverage:
  Canada
• Corporate Publisher:
  International Heavy Haul Association
• Abstract:
  In 2003, BC Rail and Kelsan Technologies carried out a project to quantify the effect of Top of Rail (TOR) Friction Control on fuel consumption and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by reducing the curving resistance of a standard 3 piece North American truck. Measurable savings were based on monitoring changes in diesel fuel consumption, as well as mechanical drawbar forces. Results indicated a strong correlation between curve density and fuel savings when the test was under tractive effort. Calculated fuel savings ranged from 155 Liters/Million Ton-miles to a 744 Liters/Millions Ton-miles (2 to 12 %) on track ranging in curve density from 25 to 51 percent. Corresponding GHG Emission reductions (CO2) ranged from 0.3 metric tonnes per million ton-miles to 2 metric tonnes per million ton-miles. No fuel savings/ GHG emission reductions were achieved when the consist was under dynamic braking.
• Format:
  PDF
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/88129/dot_88129_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 377.22 KB]
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:ffb64992aee6094f1728947e187e9fe12e5e3d3a39698d5fe4da953bed0f7a304b14b09a566d1861a9b3d9648562beff5a1493efd2c1a321dffe0bd702fc4eb2