Scientific paper ID 1704 : 2018/3

Consideration is given to controlling the effective length of the train’s main brake pipe. This length remains constant in very rare cases, with a value from the moment the train is composing.

There are a number of causes either natural or human-induced that lead to a reduction in the length of the main duct, such as:

During movement, it is possible to isolate a part of the main air duct by accidentally or maliciously closing a valve between two wagons, another possible reason for shortening the effective length of the train’s main brake pipe may be, for example, the formation of an ice cap at low temperatures and increased air humidity.

As a result of such or similar reasons, the train may have inactive or non-relaxing brakes at some end of its length, which significantly increases the risk of accidents during movement.

The purpose of this work is to develop and study a special method for continuous (including in motion) control of the effective (actual) length of the train’s main duct.

Methodological, software and technical support has been developed to ensure automatic and objective measurement of the effective length of the main brake pipe of a train at random speed and, if modified, may give the driver a message indicating the isolation site.