Large Scale Central

Brake Rigging Info

I came across this and it is a nice quick reference to basic freight car brake rigging. Its a real world training reference but has some good pictures and drawings.

Nice find Devon.

Passenger equipment, in the modern days, is often quite different when it comes to braking systems than freight.

What brought this vividly to my attention a few years ago, was the inclusion in a derailment of a freight train, of a passenger car in transit between repair shop and railroad.

It was discovered that part of the investigation, determined that the passenger car had one end of the car with its hand brakes released, while the opposite end had them applied. It seems that often, the application of the hand brakes is done separately. Each end had a separate hand brake wheel. The railroad employee, forgot to check both ends of the car, when releasing the hand brakes.

In most freight car brake systems, we as modellers notice, that one brake wheel controls both trucks at the same time.

Fred Mills

I always wondered how the passenger cars with 2 brake wheels worked.

I just learned sump-tin

Okay, I need to clarify some stuf.

  1. Big difference between passenger brakes and freight brakes is that freight brakes are either on or off. Passenger brakes can be applied, partially released, then reapplied.

  2. Hand brakes are separate from the air brakes. They are simply a mechanical brake. And freight cars have 2 brakes on long cars like intermodal wells.

This is 2020 correct ?

https://www.apta.com/wp-content/uploads/Standards_Documents/APTA-PR-M-S-021-17.pdf

As suggested by the experts I TRIED to check out some books from the local library since I model Amtrash.

Not sure of Amtrak still has a contract with Knorr but I’m pretty sure they did.

https://www.knorr-bremse.us/en/products/brakingsystems_1/introductionbrakingsystems_railvehicles.jsp

I suppose it all depends on what era you are modeling?

Fred Mills. said:

Passenger equipment, in the modern days, is often quite different when it comes to braking systems than freight.

Yes

Craig Townsend said:

Okay, I need to clarify some stuf.

  1. Big difference between passenger brakes and freight brakes is that freight brakes are either on or off. Passenger brakes can be applied, partially released, then reapplied.

  2. Hand brakes are separate from the air brakes. They are simply a mechanical brake. And freight cars have 2 brakes on long cars like intermodal wells.

Thank you

Saw no mention of Eddy Braking but the local library certainly has books on them if one needs to get that in depth with MODELING

This post has been edited by: ROOSTER purely for post count

I apologize as there is mention of the eddy brake system …

Rooster apologize, he must be drunk.

I’m working on a 40’ car for my work train that has 2 hand brakes. The car is still in use, and was once used on every train. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

Shane,

I bet that 40’ car also had different truck springs as well…

Craig knows! (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

Shane Stewart said:

Craig knows! (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

It was really hard to give a clue without giving a clue…

Shane; Do you ever run into Grant Smith, from Cold Lake Alberta, in your travels ?

Fred Mills

Hi Fred,

No I’m not familiar with the name.

Shane