Can anyone tell me the amount of force or exertion it takes to set a ratchet or wheel handbrake on a locomotive. The only reference that I have found was for Norfolk Southern RR which stated it takes 75 to 100 lbs of force.
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75 to 100 lbs of force.
Randy
And if it's on a SD40-2 with the lever instead of a wheel, then it will take anywhere from about 25 to 4 million lifts of the lever to sufficiently tighten the brake.
This is when it really helps to have a brakeman aboard- the crew can take turns.
It does not take that much force, you just turn the wheel until it reaches its max and you give it a little ump there is a ratchet device that keeps and prevents the loss of force and keeps the chains to the locomotive brake cylinders tight which also prevents the pistons from releasing. On some units it is a pump type handle that works the same way, the only difference is you pump the handle and it takes up the chain instead of turning the hand brake wheel.
Newer locomotives have an electric parking brake. Just press the button to apply or release and an electric motor does all the work! Of course if it is bad order one can still set it to manual and do it the old fashioned way. I've noticed a lot of our rebuilds have electric parking brakes added now too. Hopefully all the ratchet style hand brakes will be replaced with electric parking brakes because I agree with an earlier post, they are a pain to apply!
EMD#1 Newer locomotives have an electric parking brake.
Newer locomotives have an electric parking brake.
I rented a new Chevy Impala last month and it took me an hour to find the electrically operated parking brake. But when that brake was set, it was tight! I don't think I've ever set a parking brake that tight. That car was going nowhere.
ChuckAllen, TX
That little bit of exercise in setting a mechanical hand brake may save a lot of pain later should the "electrical system" on that locomotive fail, some old ways may take an extra three minutes, but those three minutes may be a life time if an automatic system fails.
Forgive me for interjecting this but I can't resist. Shortly after I hired out with NS in 1999 I got into a discussion with one of the old heads about handbrakes in general and locomotive handbrakes in particular. He went on to tell me about some of the older locomotives that had the brake wheel inside the cab and how he pulled a prank on a trainmaster trainee by telling HER that it was a steering wheel. They allowed her to steer the train for a few miles before they told her what it really was. I always felt like he was bsing me.
The old classic low-V, high-V, Flivver, and Steinway IRT subway cars had wheel handbrakes. The wheels were on each end, under the window opposite the motorman's (engineer's) forward windows, to the left of the train door. Kids used to pretend they were steering the train, and they generally lacked the strength to get the train into trouble. As a kid, though, my eyes were right out front watching the R0W and signals and I didn't have any interest in such nonsense. But my classmates often did.
I always felt like he was bsing me.
.
A "tin" of inches long, maroon cylindrical creatures opened up....
I would object to pranksters being used to describe operating employes operating. Off duty...yeah....but on duty.....unintended consequences, getting what you asked for....mishap to catastrophe.....
Diesel locomotive handbraking.....see them wriggle....The creatures.
"Snug up" a a hand brake on a "50's car and the brake shoes of all wheels would be forced toward them. From the Sixties, many hand brakes only applied one truck/half of the braking power.
Never was I on a diesel locomotive that applied the brakes on both trucks from a hand job (OK, App)
To require that an engine be left running where handbrakes are set to supply the independent.....with main reservoir air......while leaving a train or engine unattended.....Lac-Megantic....I know and pledge to have firefighters have a reference source for railroad incidents, things that happen and corrections.
I've nothing with which to accomplish that pledge but 'welcome your suggestions.
This is classic! Thanks for sharing.
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