Abstract: An apparatus for determining and encoding the position of a control handle on a control stand of a locomotive or other railway transit vehicle utilizing a rotational, absolute encoder rigidly mounted adjacent to the axle to which the control handle is attached for pivotal motion, wherein a drive transfer means interconnecting the control handle and/or axle with encoder has a driving ratio that will permit full partial rotation of the control handle, which is typically less than 90 degrees, to rotate the encoder axle through a significantly greater rotational angle not exceeding 360 degrees, for the purpose of making fuller use of the sensitivity and resolution range of the encoder.

Abstract: A lubricant reserve system (10) includes a reservoir tank (18) coupled to an accumulator T fitting (22). Additionally, coupled to the accumulator T fitting (22) is an accumulator pressure monitoring system (24) and an electronically-actuated valve (28). The reservoir tank (18) is adapted to hold a quantity of lubricant and a volume of gas having a gas pressure. The valve (28) opens in response to a control signal generated prior to ignition of an internal combustion engine (12) to prime the engine and closes when the engine (12) is disabled. The accumulator pressure monitoring system (24) is adapted to provide an indication of sufficient priming of the engine (12) prior to ignition of the engine (12). System (10) discharges lubricant (38) from the reservoir tank (18) while the engine (12) is running when the gas pressure is greater than a lubricant pressure of the engine lubrication system (13).