The Closed Loop Hydraulic System design of the Pacesetter stores hydraulic “energy” to be used on command, creating a more environmentally efficient means of controlling a Rail car. Typical pneumatic retarders require energy to compress air, which is then stored in large tanks to provide the pneumatic retarder with air when it is needed. Unfortunately, 55% of this stored air is lost to the atmosphere due to leaks in the air plant system and unnecessary cycling of the retarder. The hydraulic innovation built into the Pacesetter and its power unit controls provides the same braking performance as its pneumatic counterparts and does so at the lowest cost of ownership. The Pacesetter, the market’s only proven pneumatic based hydraulic system that provides comparable retarder performance without the need to maintain an air plant.