Edit post

Edit your reply below.

Post Body
Enter your post below.
I agree that everything should be as simple as possible.  But that does not rule out some incredibly complex systems to get the job done if that is what is needed.  I am not suggesting powered, simultaneous parking brakes for universal application to all freight cars.  I see it as an exclusive feature for oil unit trains.  I only think it might come to past because oil trains will come under intense scrutiny in the wake of this Lac-Megantic crash and the backdrop of activism fighting to end shipping oil by rail by piling on new safety regulations.   For the industry, it will be either sink or swim.  And if they manage to swim, we will be looking at a whole new breed of crude oil train.  Powered, simultaneous parking brakes will be just one of many new and innovative features.  I don’t see these brakes as being delicate or electronic.  They could be pneumatic powered, and robust enough to stand up in service.  They don’t have to be something that is presently used in transit systems.  These new trains would likely be made up of semi-permanently coupled cars that are not interchanged.  Being in such captive service, they would be ideal candidates for ECP brakes, and all the operation monitoring that that system enables.  The cars themselves will probably be much different than today’s sinister looking straight black cylinders sitting completely atop the truck bolsters.
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag