Knorr's Full-Scale Test Rig and Train Simulator.

The full-scale test rig contains the full-size brake equipment of a 200-car train with a main brake pipe having a total length of 2500 m. The test rig is linked to a process computer for real-time calculation of brake forces from the measured brake cylinder pressures. The traction of the locomotive, the tractive resistance and the force due to running down gradients of a given line are also simulated by the computer. The computer continuously outputs the actual speed, the distance covered and line graphics. After completion of the test, the longitudinal forces and the accelerations at each car are computed from the stored data. This information serves to assess the riding comfort and the risk of train separation or derailment. The train simulator provides the manufacturers and their customers with an efficient, time-saving and cost-saving research tool for the investigation and selective improvement of the braking system.