The assessment of the energy consumption of diesel locomotives propulsion systems

The article evaluates economic indicators of selected types of locomotives used on railway lines in Poland. Rail vehicles are characterized by lower energy consumption compared to the majority of currently used means of transport, which translates into higher efficiency of the transport system in the whole country. The share of rail transport in Poland and its development is limited by several aspects related to the costs of purchase and operation of vehicles, infrastructure and the availability of new technologies. The article presents, among others the results of measurements carried out on several ST44 locomotives with varying degrees of technical wear. The research showed above all the impact of the degree of this consumption on the fuel consumption by the propulsion system.