Doubts raised over train brakes (BBC News)

[RF News]

Brakes on a train that derailed had not performed as well as they should have, an accident investigation finds.

More from BBC News...

[pre65]

Are "modern" diesel locos fitted with disc brakes ?

Are they air or vacuum operated ?

And do they have regenerative braking capability ?

[ccmmick]

Originally Posted by pre65

Are "modern" diesel locos fitted with disc brakes ?

Are they air or vacuum operated ?

And do they have regenerative braking capability ?

The only ones i know about are 67s disc brakes and blocks as a parking brake.
Air brakes.
Pass on the last one???

ccmmick.

[ccmmick]

During severe weather there are rules that are used in braking i wont go into them as i am a bit rusty after six years i will leave that to someone else.

ccmmick.

[a.freeman]

Have anyone heard about this railway brake manufacturer - EFI? They're a part of ebcbrakes as far as i saw. Do they supply modern trains with their pads? There's really not much info on the website..

[wyvern]

This a through braked train surely? So it's not just a matter of the brakes on the loco?

In any case the theory has always been that the brakes were frozen, either by snow building up on the linkages or water freezing in the air pipes.

[LesG]

Are they air or vacuum operated ?


No such thing as Vacuum operated brakes on todays main line railways, they are all air.

I think that as I work over the line involved I will wait for the RAIB report and spend an evening reading through it when they publish it.

What I will say is, the driver was doing everything right within the rules for driving in snow conditions, proved by the locomotive's download from the Q-tron data recorder.

Les

[Flying Pig]

Because snow can reduce the effectiveness of brakes in a number of ways, train drivers are required to make regular Running Brake Tests when there is falling snow, or if their train disturbs snow already lying on the ground......

From Section TW of the Rulebook

Working trains during snow conditions

The person responsible: driver

18.1 When these instructions apply

You must carry out the following instructions when snow is
falling, or fallen snow is being disturbed by the passage of trains.

18.2 Running brake tests during snow conditions

You must make a full service application of the automatic brake
every three to five minutes and make sure that the speed of your
train is reduced by at least 10 mph as a result of the application.

If driving a locomotive-hauled train, you can extend this interval
when:
• the train is climbing a steep-rising gradient, and
• the train might be brought to a complete stand as a result of
using the brake.

(The red colour is mine)

As Les is saying that the QTron confirms the driver took the correct action, there will be a very detailed examination of the rolling stock taking place.

FP