Method and apparatus for control of a rail contaminant cleaning system

An apparatus for clearing railroad rails of contaminants causing a loss of locomotive traction from reduced adhesion of the locomotive wheels on the rails:

• a compressed air sub-system mounted on a locomotive for directing compressed air onto the railroad rails in order to clear the rails;
• the compressed air sub-system being operable in response to a control signal to operate in either a first mode, constituting an air delivery mode, for directing air under pressure to the rails to remove the contaminates from the rails, or a second mode, constituting a non-delivery mode, in which no compressed air is delivered;
• a control system for providing control signals to the compressed air subsystem based on a calculation of loss of adhesion of the locomotive wheels on the rail from the presence of contaminates on the rail, with such calculation being based on at least two conditions relating to the rails and locomotive selected from the group of conditions comprising engine speed, notch condition, tractive effort, temperature, locomotive speed, braking conditions, time of day, geographical location, climate, and time of year;
• whereby the control system sends a control signal to activate the compressed air subsystem to deliver air under pressure to clear the rails when the calculated adhesion loss exceeds a predetermined level.