Fuel Consumption and the Speed of Railway Transport

One of the major factors affecting the fuel consumption of transport is speed. This paper describes an analytical method by which the effect of variations in speed on fuel con-sumption can be calculated. The calculation is based on the fuel-power characteristics of the power unit and the resistance to motion of the vehicle obtained from testing plant or bench-test results. The applications of this method are described, with particular reference to steam-railway traction, and the problems of operating trains so that fuel is used as economically as possible, or so that costs are minimized, are discussed, as well as associated design problems. A mathematical solution of the problem of running a train from point A to point B so that the fuel used is a minimum is given in Appendix I