Rumors, myths, urban legends??

[Anonymous]

the name of the game when it comes to airbrakes is adhesion. to much air pressure used in the airbrakes the wheels will lock up and as a result the wheels will slide. to little air pressure and you will not get enough force out of the brake shoes to stop the train. as you can imagine a 100 years ago there was a lot of trial and error that accured when the railroads tried to get the air pressure right. so i would say yes this did happen, just not 300 years ago.

[gabe]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tatans

I remember hearing a story in my childhood (300 years ago) of heavy freight pulled by steam engine on the prairies coming into town downhill very fast and locking the brakes after hitting a farm truck and skidding a considerable distance down the track with ALL the wheels locked, after the train stopped it was unable to move again as all the wheels had huge flat spots and the train couldn't regain any traction. Can there be any truth to this or is this an urban legend ? ?

I am quite sure it is true, as I am told this problem has happened more than once.

[David_Telesha]

So long as you being sarcastic about the 300 years ago part, yes.

Locking brakes and sliding will cause flat spots in steel wheels.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tatans

I remember hearing a story in my childhood (300 years ago) of heavy freight pulled by steam engine on the prairies coming into town downhill very fast and locking the brakes after hitting a farm truck and skidding a considerable distance down the track with ALL the wheels locked, after the train stopped it was unable to move again as all the wheels had huge flat spots and the train couldn't regain any traction. Can there be any truth to this or is this an urban legend ? ?

Must be an urban legend. I don't think there were towns with freight service out on the prairies 300 years ago, let alone train tracks running between them.

[tatans]

I remember hearing a story in my childhood (300 years ago) of heavy freight pulled by steam engine on the prairies coming into town downhill very fast and locking the brakes after hitting a farm truck and skidding a considerable distance down the track with ALL the wheels locked, after the train stopped it was unable to move again as all the wheels had huge flat spots and the train couldn't regain any traction. Can there be any truth to this or is this an urban legend ? ?