Patent ID: 7701077

Claim:
In a locomotive having at least one electrical load connected to at least one power source via a locomotive power carrying bus, a system for ensuring a current connection between the at least one power source and the at least one electrical load, the system comprising: a first rectification device, wherein said first rectification device is connected between the at least one electrical load and the locomotive power carrying bus to provide a current connection between a first power source and the at least one electrical load; a second rectification device, wherein said second rectification device is connected between the at least one electrical load and the locomotive power carrying bus to provide a rectified current connection between a second power source and the at least one electrical load; and at least one auxiliary rectification device, wherein said at least one auxiliary rectification device is connected to the at least one electrical load and at least one of said first rectification device and said second rectification device to ensure a continuous current connection between the at least one power source and the at least one electrical load; wherein the at least one electrical load is further connected to a train-line power bus, wherein when the locomotive is part of a locomotive consist having at least one additional locomotive connected to the locomotive via said train-line power bus, the at least one electrical load is electrically connected to said at least one additional locomotive via said train-line power bus to at least one of draw power from and supply power to said at least one additional locomotive; and wherein the at least one electrical load is connected to said train-line power bus via at least one of a diode and a switching device, wherein if the at least one electrical load is connected to said train-line power bus via said diode and said switching device, said diode and said switching device are electrically arranged to be in parallel with each other.