Exhibit description

Electric train ER10-002

Electric braking

The development of electric rolling stock primarily followed the path of energy saving. This was especially relevant for commuter trains with frequent stops, which required acceleration and braking modes. During mechanical braking with pads that are pressed against the rolling surface of the wheel, the kinetic energy of the train is converted into heat and goes into the atmosphere.

From the very beginning of the development of electric traction, engineers were attracted by the idea of introducing electric braking, which could be regenerative, that is, with it, electric motors were switched to the mode of electric generators and gave energy back to the network, or rheostatic, when the generated electricity was extinguished on rheostats (resistances). Compared to mechanical braking, with rheostatic braking, the generated energy is also converted into heat, but the efficiency is higher and the wear of brake pads and wheel pairs is less.

In electric trains

On 3000 V DC electric locomotives, rheostatic braking has been used since their construction. On multiple unit rolling stock, this issue was only addressed in the early 1950s. In the period from 1952 to 1954 under the supervision of engineer L.M. Trakhtman, a regenerative-rheostatic braking system was developed. When regenerative braking ceased due to insufficient energy consumption from the network by other locomotives, replacement rheostatic braking was activated. The transition from one type of braking to another was carried out automatically.

The experimental sections were designated the RS series. Based on the test results, a ten-car electric train ER-6 was built in 1959. In 1960 it was tested first on the Riga - Ogre section of the Latvian Railway, and then on the VNIIZhT test ring. During tests on the section between stopping points of 2 km and at an average speed of 44–46 km/h, energy savings of 17.5 to 35.5% were achieved. The developments were later used in the design of the ER10 electric train.

Historical context

From the very beginning of the development of electric traction, engineers were attracted by the idea of introducing electric braking, which could be regenerative or rheostatic. With regenerative braking, electric motors would be converted to electric generator mode and would give energy (electric current) back to the grid. With the rheostatic type, the electric energy generated during braking would be extinguished on rheostats (resistors).

Another way of developing rolling stock was to increase the length of the cars in order to reduce the number of cars in the trains, as well as to increase the number of doors for faster boarding and disembarking of passengers.

The motor lead car No. 206 of the ER10 electric train has been preserved in good condition; it had been stored for a long time at the Moscow-Kurskaya (TC-1) depot of the Moscow Railway. From there, it was sent to the Central Museum of the October Railway in St. Petersburg (located on the territory of the former Varshavsky Station). After the relocation and renaming of the museum into the Museum of Russian Railways, it was moved to a new site near the Baltic Station in St. Petersburg.