Rail Car2020-06-23T19:39:10+00:00

Sensors and Switches for Locomotive and Rail Applications

The main goals for engineers designing today’s modern locomotive engines are safety, speed, and efficiency. Whether used for transporting goods or people, today’s trains are getting to their destinations quicker and safer than ever before. These new train, locomotive, and rail car capabilities are thanks in part to the sensors and switches used to monitor their vital operations.

Trains are large, expensive, and complicated machines requiring accurate monitoring of systems at all times to ensure safe and proper operation. Located in everything from train braking systems to engine oil and cooling systems, pressure switches are integral components to modern locomotive systems. While these components need to be of supreme quality and reliability, engineers are continually looking for ways to minimize cost. This is where Custom Control Sensors enters the picture. 

CCS pressure and temperature sensors and switches provide the lowest cost of ownership with proven reliability and extended life, reducing the need for maintenance, replacement, and redundancy costs. CCS switches are also built rugged and designed to withstand the harshest environments with a vibration resistance of up to 40 g’s at 3,000 Hz. The most popular CCS model series for rail and locomotive applications is the 611G series gage pressure switch, while CCS 604G and 6900G series switches can also be used within this industry.

These switches can be specifically applied to many areas within rail and locomotive systems, including:

  • Engine Water Cooling System: A pressurized water cooling system is used to make sure the engine components inside a locomotive’s diesel engine are kept from overheating. Water is dispersed throughout the various parts of the engine and pressure switches are used to ensure the water pressure is consistent and at the correct level. 
  • Engine Lube Oil System: The lube oil pump disperses the lube oil throughout a locomotive’s diesel engine. Pressure switches are used to ensure the lube oil pressure is consistently at the correct level. This protects the moving parts from wearing down and failing due to high friction forces and rusting. It also cools and cleans parts like the pistons, cylinder heads, and bearings.
  • Braking systems: There are automatic brakes with large air pressure reservoir tanks in the locomotive car that connect to a brake pipe that runs the entire length of the train. This pipe connects to the brake cylinders located on each individual car. The cylinders in this braking system push directly onto the wheels to slow them down. Pressure switches are used to ensure the brake pipe pressure is consistently at the correct level. The switches used here need to be of the highest quality to ensure the braking system works properly.

For more information on CCS products designed for rail applications, take a look at our complete list of locomotive switches and sensors or contact us directly. 

60 Years of Innovation

Custom Control Sensors, LLC (CCS) has been a global leader in the design, testing, manufacturing and supply of standard and custom pressure, temperature and flow switches and sensors for the Aerospace, Defense, Industrial and Energy markets since 1958. CCS switches are highly reliable devices that utilize a “DUAL-SNAP” action disc spring principle pioneered by Custom Control Sensors over 50 years ago.

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