From RNZ News, 17 April, 2009
Sleepy train driver overran stop
Updated at 3:23pm on 17 April 2009
An investigation has found extreme sleepiness
caused a locomotive driver to overrun a stop and travel an
additional 15 kilometres.
In May 2007, the driver failed to stop at Seddon in
Marlborough on the South Island main north line and
travelled towards Vernon.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission says the
train driver had been awake for 11 hours prior to his shift,
meaning he had been up for 20 hours before the incident.
He suffered from a sleep disorder, had not had adequate
food to sustain a long period of duty and had not taken a
personal needs break.
Among the commission's safety
recommendations is that the modern computerised Tranzlog
vigilance system should be used.
It says this monitoring technology is about five years
old and would reduce the risk of further fatigue-related
driver incidents.
From KiwiRail's Staff Newsletter. August 2008
Switchable dampers for
DXCs
AS THE BRIGHTSTAR
overhaul/conversion of DX locomotives progresses
at Hutt Workshops, those locomotives designated "DXCs" for coal
route
operation are being fitted with tunnel air intake chutes that
now
include switchable dampers.
These units allow the main equipment blower air intake to be
switched
between tunnel mode where air is picked up below running board
level
and normal mode where intake air is picked up high in the
locomotive
car-body.
The low-level air intake needed for Otira Tunnel operation has
the
disadvantage that a lot of dirt and grit is drawn into the
filtration
system, with some carry-over to the locomotive internal
components
which accelerates wear.
Since Late May, the air intake damper control has been switched
to
automatic mode, which means that the dampers stay in normal
position
most of the time and only switch to tunnel mode when the
locomotives
are running from west to east between Otira and Arthur's Pass.
The switching control is done by the
locomotive Tranzlog
system,
based on direction of travel and location data from its GPS
input.
This means that the DXC locomotives switch into tunnel mode as
they
pass over Bridge 51 and revert back to normal mode as they pass
over
Bridge 49 on the Midland Line when travelling in an easterly
direction only.
The effect of this change is that tunnel mode is now only
operational
for 10 kilometres instead of the entire journey.
This has already significantly reduced the amount of dirt and
grit
getting into the locomotive air filtration system and its
subsequent
carry-over to the locomotive internal components.
Smart driving saves Toll $4.5m in diesel
By TINA LAW - The Press | Friday, 9 November 2007
Toll Rail is saving millions of dollars in diesel each year by
getting drivers to change the way they drive locomotives.
A pilot project targeting freight and coal trains between the
West Coast and Lyttelton, saw Toll Rail save 9 per cent of the
10 million litres of diesel it uses on that route each year.
The scheme has now been rolled out across Toll Rail's
network.
Toll Rail group general manager Joe Garbellini said the group
had targeted a 5 per cent fuel saving across the network for
2007-08, but it had already doubled that and was sitting at 10
per cent diesel reduction.
Toll Rail is one of New Zealand's biggest individual users of
diesel, using more than 57m litres a year. Fuel contributes 20
per cent of the total cost to the rail operation. A 10 per cent
reduction in diesel was saving the company about $4.5m, based on
an average diesel price of 80c.
The pilot scheme last week won the transport category at the
2007 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA)
Energywise Awards 2007.
Toll Rail used
Tranzlogs, the train equivalent of an aeroplane black box
installed in each locomotive, to monitor fuel consumption.
Data from the logs was analysed and it was discovered diesel
could be saved by modifying driving behaviour, like accelerating
more slowly and coming to a stop more slowly.
"Different drivers were doing different things. We didn't
really have a single standard until we got the
Tranzlog."
Garbellini said drivers had been positive about the changes.
Judges in the EECA awards said the initiative was significant
for the enormous enthusiasm and buy-in from train drivers.
Toll Rail was encouraging its 450 drivers by giving prizes to
the person who saved the most diesel at each depot.
The Tranzlogs
had also identified other ways of saving fuel.
Garbellini said the school of thought used to be that it was
better to have two locomotives running at half power between
Otira and Westport, but the
Tranzlog showed
it was more efficient to have one running at full power.
"It's one of a whole number of strategies to improve our
efficiency, focusing on a whole lot of costs," Garbellini said.
Toll Rail had 40 strategies in place to improve the business
as a whole and grow revenue.
EECA Energywise Awards 2007
Good
Afternoon
No doubt
you are now aware of our success at the EECA Energywise Awards.
This
achievement was particularly pleasing as the result, whilst very much
assisted by Tranzlog was a direct result of the efforts of our
staff.
From the
people that put the plan together, to those that developed and monitored
best driving practise, to the finance team that measured and reconciled
fuel consumption, through to the heart and soul of the project our hard
working Locomotive Engineers.
Also we
should not forget the support we received from our fuel supply partner,
Shell New Zealand
This was a
true team effort that has not only benefited our Company but also the
environment.
Please
ensure that you pass on to all staff involved my thanks
for a great effort.
A number
of staff have informed me that there are still more savings to be made
so it is important that we continue to focus on this initiative.
Once again
well done, a great team effort!
Brgds
Craig
Nelson
GM Ops -Toll
NZ
2 November 2007
Toll Rail wins major energy
award
Toll
Rail have been announced as the winner of the Shell New Zealand Transport Award
at last nights EECA Energywise Awards held before a capacity crowd in Auckland.
The entry
focused on Toll Rail fuel saving initiatives on the South Island coal route.
In the past 12 months, around a million litres of fuel has been saved. It has
now been rolled out nationally through Toll's 18 regional depots.
Toll Rail has been able to establish
the most fuel-efficient driving behaviors and demonstrate these to its drivers,
who have modified their driving with dramatic results.
This initiative has made a direct
and immediate impact on Toll Rail's fuel consumption and provides the platform
for significant and sustained reduction across all of Toll's operations -
benefiting the New Zealand freight industry and the environment.
Toll Rail Group General Manager Joe
Garbellini said he was delighted that Toll Rail won the award and said much of
that credit must go to Toll Rail's 420 strong drivers' team in the design of the
competition and the enthusiasm they have shown towards the initiative.
"We needed their help and ideas.
Most importantly, we needed their active involvement and enthusiasm."
He also thanked Shell for their
ongoing support.
The judges of the award said, that
Toll Rail made excellent use of New Zealand technology readily deployable
through the company. This has resulted in significant changes to driver behavior
extending to a healthy change of culture within the company. This initiative is
significant for the enormous enthusiasm and buy-in from the drivers.
A record 156 entries were received
for the 2007 EECA Energywise Awards.
Contact
Sue Foley
GM Corporate Affairs Toll NZ
0274 313920
5% Fuel savings
using tranzlog trip analyser
27 July 2007
Toll Rail is saving big on fuel using Tranzlog's "Trip
Analyser" component. This enables rapid trip by trip analysis of fuel use
differences due to driving techniques and locomotive configuration. On
some routes savings of as much as 30% have been achieved, by selectively
shutting down locos and changing notching techniques.
Note from "Dominion Post" is below:
Competition drives fuel consumption down further
Thursday, 12 July 2007, 9:33 am
Press Release: Toll New Zealand |
12 July 2007
Competition drives fuel consumption down further
Believe it or not, fuel economy measures for driving a two thousand tonne
freight train are much the same as those for the family car.
"Avoid rapid acceleration, go easy on the brakes and avoid unnecessary
idling. It's surprising how simple measures like that can have a significant
impact on diesel consumption," says Joe Garbellini, Group General Manager of New
Zealand's rail operator, Toll Rail.
Toll is about to go nationwide with a train divers' competition to save fuel.
"We use one million litres of diesel every week. We estimate that a few small
changes in driving habits could save up to three million litres every year.
That's good for the environment, it's good for energy usage and it's good for
our bottom line."
"It will further increase rail's environmental advantages over road
transport," Mr Garbellini said.
Toll has been trialing the fuel saving competition on the Christchurch-West
Coast coal route. In the past 12 months, where around a million litres of fuel
has been saved.
The competition is about to be rolled out nationally through Toll's 18
regional depots. There will be monthly prizes of petrol vouchers and merchandise
from Toll's fuel supplier, Shell. Winners in each region will go into an annual
regional draw (Southern, Central and Northern) to win a travel voucher.
Mr Garbellini said it was important to involve Toll's 420 strong drivers'
team in the design of the competition.
"We needed their help and ideas. Most importantly, we needed their active
involvement and enthusiasm."
Mr Garbellini says drivers have got right behind the competition.
Central to the competition is the data logger, rail's equivalent of the
plane's "black box" flight recorder. Data loggers have historically recorded
information like acceleration, speeds and braking.
Toll is currently in the process of commissioning a new, latest technology
data logger, known as Tranzlog into Toll Rail's locomotives. Tranzlog was
developed right here in New Zealand by Otari Electronics and has a whole range
of new features including the ability to accurately measure fuel consumption.
"Tranzlog allows us to measure exactly how our fuel saving efforts are going
and, of course, to identify and reward the winning drivers," he explains.
While many of the fuel saving techniques are common to both family cars and
locomotives, there are one or two measures that are peculiar to trains. For
example, from July last year, TOLL Rail introduced the shutting down of one
locomotive of a two locomotive train travelling empty from the highest point of
the Southern Alps through to Westport to pick up coal. The additional grunt is
needed to climb to the top of the Alps and also to haul full wagons back to
Lyttelton. Prior to that time, it was assumed that two locomotives working at
half power were more fuel-efficient than a single locomotive working at full
power.
Not so. The newly-installed Tranzlog showed that more fuel could be saved by
running one locomotive on full power than two locomotives running at half power.
Mr Garbellini says the information of how to conserve fuel will be
documented, shared with the other drivers and included in the curriculum of New
Zealand's only train driving school in Lower Hutt.
"Fuel conservation has to be a priority for a major transport operator like
Toll," Mr Garbellini says.
"We're also working with Shell to put together a plan to trial biofuel - a
diesel/plant oil extract mixture - and we will be in a position to provide
information on this in the near future.
"This competition is now. Thanks to our drivers, it's already reaping
excellent rewards," Joe Garbellini says.
OVer 300 TranzloG
UNITs SHIPPED
30 June 2007
Otari shipped its 340th Tranzlog
unit to Toll Rail this week. Around 180 are equipped with CDMA modems
allowing for wireless connectivity virtually anywhere within New Zealand.
Units operating off 24V, 74V, 110V and 120V are now in service throughout the
New Zealand rail network.
Ecolight shipments
surpass 1,000 units
27 August 2006
Otari has shipped its 1,000th
Ecolight unit
this month. The customer is the Wellington Regional Council's
suburban rail service.
United Rail Group move to LED Cab Lights
4 July 2006
United Group Ltd has now fitted over 20 of
Otari's new LED
Cab Lights to Toll Rail locomotives, and driver acceptance has been very positive.
The LED lights provide a brighter, whiter light for reading in the cab, whilst
at the same time reducing the stray or scattered light, thereby improving
visibility out of the cab windows with the light on. In addition the lower
heat output of the LED light improves driver comfort. United Group are
finding the LED lights are easier to fit to locomotives because they are
smaller, and are easier to wire in to the locomotive.
Tranzlog shipments
exceed 120
8 January 2006
Tranzlog shipments have now exceeded 120.
Toll now has more Tranzlogs fitted in 3 years than Locologs which were fitted
over 6 years in the early 1980's and Kaitiaki units which were installed from
1990 to 2002.
Modem Equipped Tranzlog Takes to the Wellington Suburban Service
10 August 2005
EM1160 has taken to the tracks with the
first CDMA modem equipped Tranzlog. The modem gives users the ability to
track locomotives and transit vehicles in real-time, and watch driver behaviour
remotely. Real-time tracking enhances the ability of train running staff
to make more timely and safer decisions on train operations, and allows
maintenance personnel to obtain key maintenance data off the locomotives prior
to arrival into depot, thus speeding up troubleshooting and turn-around. It is
anticipated that mass fitting of Tranzlogs with modems will commence by mid
2006.
TRANZLOG
INSTALLED ON ADK CLASS
19 July 2005
Otari Electronics has fitted the
Tranzlog V4
system and the SlipAlert
Wheelslip Detection System on Auckland Regional Council's ADK class of suburban
multiple units.
GANZ MULTIPLE UNITS FITTED
24 March 2005
The first of 88
Tranzlog
installations on GANZ EMUs has been completed. Installations are now being
progressively carried out at the rate of two per month. The unit includes
Otari's advanced SmoothMove
graphical location display.
10 Sept 2003
Otari Electronics Ltd has finished
development of the first
Tranzlog V4
data logger, which is to be fitted to a Dx
locomotive in September 2003. The unit has a wide array of features which may
be examined in full here.
The development has taken almost 9
months and the construction of 3 full prototypes. The finished product is now
stable and has been running in extended test mode for 12 weeks. One of the most
significant features of the development included the use of 3D CAD to fully
model the product prior to manufacture, which has dramatically improved both
quality and ease of fabrication. In addition Otari has invested in the latest
systems for software and PCB design, development and manufacture which have also
enhanced quality, and will make future support and development of additional
product capability straight-forward
Above:
Toll Rail's Theo Klok with a Tranzlog V4 data logger.