The brake is supplied with compressed air independently by two M P 1,000. compressors. These compressors are driven by the same belts that drive the cooling turbine. To increase their longevity, their speed has been limited to 800 rpm. They are located behind the turbine, which facilitates their cooling. Their lateral displacement allows the belt tension to be adjusted.
The brake equipment consists of a direct brake line, equipped with a direct locomotive engineer's brake valve No. 9 bis, and an automatic brake line, the automatic brake valve being of type No. 6; the compressed air system has no other special features. The sanders are pneumatic of type F F 10112.
The handbrake acts on one of the axles. An air intake on the main tanks allows the supply of auxiliary equipment, in particular, pneumatic speed control. The air consumption of the latter is very low.
General Provisions
So the tractor has two completely mechanically independent drive lines. (Fig. 11). This arrangement has made it possible to make all the organs that can be dismantled individually very accessible (Figs. 12 and 13).
Fig. 11 - 400 hp diesel locomotive for normal track. - Rear view, cut along the locomotive axis. - Cab and sleepers removed.
Even major repairs can be carried out within a few hours, such as replacing an engine, gearbox or drive axle. As these are independent and do not have to have wheels of strictly equal diameters, the axles can be changed separately. The tractor therefore does not, strictly speaking, need to be "lifted" and therefore immobilised.
Fig. 12. - View of an engine, left side.
Each engine drives its own attachments, so it is possible to run one engine at any time, with the second engine being able to be started while the vehicle is running without any inconvenience. Each engine has its own electrical installation and battery. The battery has a capacity of 150 A/hour at 24 volts. A special contact allows the batteries to be connected in parallel for starting in cold weather. The necessary space has been reserved in the boxes to fit cadmium nickel batteries.
Fig. 13. - View of an engine, right side.
These very accessible boxes are located on either side of the hoods.
The branch lines have many unguarded crossings; it is important that the locomotive engineer tracks both the front and both sides of the track undisturbed; the cab, located in the centre, was therefore designed to provide maximum visibility thanks to wide front and side windows (see Fig. 2). With little movement, the locomotive engineer can see all 4 buffers of his locomotive.
This cab has two driving stations, the brake and accelerator levers having a positive connection from one station to the other. It is possible to start a manoeuvre from one station and finish it at the other.
