A Coordinated Visual Representation of Train Performance, Power, and Energy Consumption

The current and increasing use of computers to produce train performance calculator (TPC) studies for new intercity passenger, freight, and transit systems or changes to existing ones results in large quantities of output data. The more data there are, the more complex they are to understand. A visual representation of TPC outputs is described which greatly simplifies the understanding of the complete output and enables the user to identify those locations quickly where train operations are being limited and whether changes in route parameters or train performance would be advantageous. The visual representation can be drawn manually using the numerical TPC outputs or alternatively using a computer based plotter. The interactions between the operating parameters which are shown are well-known and documented. They are only described so that the proposed visual representation and its value can be understood more easily.