urrSam...today if I buy a unit train's worth of regular 110-ton mixed-use bottom-drop hoppers for use on the US, will either load sensors or automatic brake rigging adjusters come as standard feature?
Load sensors, probably not. (But I am not an expert here, and there are others on the forum who have experience here)
Slack adjusters have been standard issue for many decades, and I almost can't imagine a car released into interchange service that wouldn't have them.
ATSFGuy Anytime you see sparks coming from the wheels whether it's in a movie or real life, it means the emergency brakes have been applied. I've seen a few scenes where the emergancy brakes are applied and the wheels are still spinning.
Anytime you see sparks coming from the wheels whether it's in a movie or real life, it means the emergency brakes have been applied.
I've seen a few scenes where the emergancy brakes are applied and the wheels are still spinning.
When I was a high school senior (1954), our class trip was on the B&O from Cincinnati to Washington DC. On our return to Cincinnati, on the National Linited (#1) west of Cumberland (Cincinnati trains took a cutoff and bypassed it) I spent a lot of time in the coach's vestibule and coming down some of the WV grades was a sight that I have wished I had had a camera for as it was dark, and there were only the EMD's headlight shining ahead sometimes on the track for the short stretches that didn't have a curve, the car window lights showing the woods below us and a string of fire from all the brake shoes on the train. Trainman had come through the train and set the retainers. After we got off the grade, the fireworks ended and we did not stop, just continued on to the next station.
I concur with another poster that "ATSFguy"s quote is incorrect.
If sparks only fly in emergency why do they want us using DB and as light as an air brake application as possible in the summer to prevent right of way fires???
10000 feet and no dynamics? Today is going to be a good day ...
traisessive1If sparks only fly in emergency why do they want us using DB and as light as an air brake application as possible in the summer to prevent right of way fires???
Air brakes decrease speed by forcing brake shoes against wheel treads and turning the motion of the wheels against the brake shoes into heat - heat that can throw off hot particles that can start fires - there doesn't need to be visible sparks to ignite fires.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
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