11-22-2009, 06:05 PM
doctorwayne Wrote:As for braking, my understanding of the procedure is to use dynamic braking (where available) in conjunction with both the locomotive's independent brake and the automatic air brakes on the cars. Hopefully, someone with practical experience can expand on this.
Wayne
Well from what I remember from my time as a trainman on CSX, the independent brake was rarely used during train handling, it was primarily for the locomotives when moving around in terminals and switching and such. The automatic brake was used in all other instances. Of course the automatic brake also applied the brakes on the locomotives, which during normal train handling was "baled off" to keep the slack stretched. The use of dynamics and automatic brake depended on the result desired from the engineer, and the terrain, etc. as the dynamic would get the train all bunched up, while application of the automatic would keep the train somewhat stretched out, especially when the lokies were bailed off and allowed to keep pulling.
I know when stopping in bad areas we always used automatic and pulled against it to keep the slack stretched to make it impossible for thieves and vandals to uncouple the train. Also when placed into emergency the locos go to idle and the brakes come on full. You want to bail off real quick to keep the locos moving, as the weight of the train slamming into the locomotives can throw you right out of your seat onto the floor.
-Dave