Brake Wheel Question

[Justin99]

I know that an engine has to add air to a car's air hose to release the brakes and remove air from it to release the brakes. And if all the air is removed from the air hose the emergency brakes are applied. My question is, what good does spinning a runaway car's brake wheel do?

 

[cascaderailroad]

The hand brake wheel manualy pulls out on the brake cylinder push rod lever, clamping the brake pads to the wheels, much like a automobiles emergency hand brake does.

On a steep grade with a really long train, @ 10 hand brakes are required, in a yard 3 is the norm ... and road crews are notorious for not disengaging them, causing wheel flat spots.

I was called out to close boxcar doors on the main ... and one car had it's handbrake on for many miles ... the wheel was blue hot and smoking on the wheel tread ! Had I touched it with a oily glove, it might have burst into flames !

 

[Justin99]

That makes more since. Thanks, cascaderailroad.

 

[SantaFebuff]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT2DXO_xcU8

And here's the product of your Antarctic boxcar adventure.

Cheers,
Joshua​