TRAIN PERFORMANCE CALCULATOR FOR THE IBM PC

Abstract

A train performance calculator program was written in Basic for the IBM Personal Computer. The train performance calculator simulates the operation of a single train along a specific route. Velocity, time, and fuel consumption of a train at any point along a route is predicted by the program. The train may be of any configuration and the route may have any combination of grades and curvature. The algorithm used in this train performance calculator finds the minimum travel time of a train over a route, subject to power, braking and route constraints. The program and the models used to predict train performance are described, followed by sample runs.