Air Brake System Overview/en: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 17:57, 9 March 2025

In order to stop or slow down, trains need a lot of braking force. For this reason each individual vehicle in a train is equipped with brakes, able to apply them almost simultaneously. Synchronous operation of all vehicles' brakes from a single vehicle, usually the leading locomotive, is accomplished by the compressed air mechanical brake system, simply called the train brake .

Each rail vehicle has an air line hose on either end. When vehicles are coupled together, their air lines are connected too. The air lines serve to propagate air pumped by motorized vehicles , which is used to control the train's brakes.

Main Reservoir

Main reservoir is a high volume vessel found on motorized vehicles. In most cases it is automatically kept pressurized at around 8 bar , by an onboard compressor . The main reservoir is there to provide pressure to the rest of the brake system.

Brake Pipe

Brake pipe is a system of air lines spanning through a train. On a properly coupled train, air lines are connected between individual vehicles with their valves open. At the ends of the train, however, the air line valves are closed. This allows the pipe to be pressurized at 5 bar in normal running conditions, throughout the train, by the main reservoir. The volume of a brake pipe is relatively low, but it grows bigger with each additional coupled vehicle.

Auxiliary Reservoirs

Auxiliary reservoirs are medium volume vessels found on each individual vehicle. Pressurized by the brake pipe, they store pressure that is ready to apply brakes on demand. While auxiliary reservoirs can take a long time to charge, they practically never run out during regular operation.

Brake Cylinders

Brake cylinders are low volume vessels found on each individual vehicle, doing the actual braking force application. When pressurized by auxiliary reservoirs, cylinders press brake shoes against wheels, causing vehicles to slow down.

Train Charging

Due to leaks , no brake components can remain pressurized indefinitely. It usually takes some time to bring the components of unused vehicles to their nominal, high pressure level, before they can be set in motion. The two biggest factors are the main reservoir, which will charge as quickly as the respective compressor is capable to, and auxiliary reservoirs, which may take a long time to charge, depending on how many vehicles there are in the train.

Adding additional locomotives to the train to improve charging speeds is a viable option, as is revving the engine .

Train Brake Application

Train brake is applied by a control device found in motorized rail vehicles. Applying brakes on a fully charged train functions by air getting dumped from the brake pipe to the atmosphere. This forces auxiliary reservoirs to feed their stored pressure to brake cylinders, pressing brake shoes against the wheels.

Train Brake Release

Train brake is released by the same control device . Releasing brakes on a fully charged train functions by the brake pipe getting pressurized by main reservoir. This forces auxiliary reservoirs to recharge from the pipe and no longer feed the brake cylinders, depressing the brake shoes from the wheels.

Automatic Stop Safety Mechanism

Crucial safety feature of the compressed air brake system is that, in case of vehicle connection getting severed, such as due to a derailment , brake pipe pressure will be lost to the atmosphere, resulting in automatic full brake application on both remaining train parts. This is integral to the compressed air brake system design in trains.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 <languages />
-{{pll|Rail Vehicle Types|Trains}} are heavy. In order to stop or slow down, they need a lot of braking force. Rather than have one {{pll|Rail Vehicle Types|vehicle}} in a train be equipped with brakes, usually all the vehicles are brake-equipped. When a train is braking, each vehicle in it is braking relatively simultaneously. This is accomplished by a compressed air mechanical brake system that runs throughout the train, simply called the {{pll|Train Brake|train brake}}.
+In order to stop or slow down, {{pll|Rail Vehicle Types|trains}} need a lot of braking force. For this reason each individual vehicle in a train is equipped with brakes, able to apply them almost simultaneously. Synchronous operation of all vehicles' brakes from a single vehicle, usually the leading locomotive, is accomplished by the compressed air mechanical brake system, simply called the {{pll|Train Brake|train brake}}.
-Each rail vehicle has an air line hose on either end. When vehicles are {{pll|Coupling|coupled}} together, their air lines are connected too. By controlling air pressure with a single [[Train Brake|control device]] in the leading vehicle, the entire train's brakes are controlled. The brake system pressure is created by {{pll|Compressor|compressors}}, which can be found on {{pll|Rail Vehicle Types|motorized vehicles}}. Before going into detail about how the system works, let's get familiar with a few of the primary components:
+Each rail vehicle has an air line hose on either end. When vehicles are {{pll|Coupling|coupled}} together, their air lines are connected too. The air lines serve to propagate air pumped by {{pll|Rail Vehicle Types|motorized vehicles}}, which is used to control the train's brakes.
 ==== Main Reservoir ====
-Main reservoir is a high volume vessel found on motorized vehicles that are equipped with a {{pll|Compressor|compressor}}. In most cases it is automatically kept pressurized at around {{pll|Monitoring|8 bar}}. The main reservoir is there to provide pressure to the rest of the system.
+Main reservoir is a high volume vessel found on motorized vehicles. In most cases it is automatically kept pressurized at around {{pll|Monitoring|8 bar}}, by an onboard {{pll|Compressor|compressor}}. The main reservoir is there to provide pressure to the rest of the brake system.
 ==== Brake Pipe ====
-Brake pipe is a system of air lines spanning through a train. On a properly coupled train, air lines are connected between individual vehicles with their valves open. At the ends of the train, however, the air line valves are closed. This allows the pipe to be pressurized at {{pll|Monitoring|5 bar}} in normal running conditions, by the main reservoir. The volume of a brake pipe is relatively low, but it grows bigger with each additional coupled vehicle.
+Brake pipe is a system of air lines spanning through a train. On a properly coupled train, air lines are connected between individual vehicles with their valves open. At the ends of the train, however, the air line valves are closed. This allows the pipe to be pressurized at {{pll|Monitoring|5 bar}} in normal running conditions, throughout the train, by the main reservoir. The volume of a brake pipe is relatively low, but it grows bigger with each additional coupled vehicle.
 ==== Auxiliary Reservoirs ====
-Auxiliary reservoirs are medium volume vessels found on each individual vehicle. Pressurized by the brake pipe, they store pressure to be further fed to apply brakes, on demand. While auxiliary reservoirs can take a long time to charge, they are almost impossible to run out during regular operation.
+Auxiliary reservoirs are medium volume vessels found on each individual vehicle. Pressurized by the brake pipe, they store pressure that is ready to apply brakes on demand. While auxiliary reservoirs can take a long time to charge, they practically never run out during regular operation.
 ==== Brake Cylinders ====
-Brake cylinders are low volume vessels found on each individual vehicle, doing the actual {{pll|Monitoring|braking force application}}. When pressurized, by auxiliary reservoirs, cylinders press {{pll|Brake Shoes|brake shoes}} against wheels, causing vehicles to slow down.
+Brake cylinders are low volume vessels found on each individual vehicle, doing the actual braking force application. When pressurized by auxiliary reservoirs, cylinders press {{pll|Brake Shoes|brake shoes}} against wheels, causing vehicles to slow down.
 ==== Train Charging ====
-Due to {{pll|Cylinder Leaks|leaks}}, no brake system components can remain pressurized indefinitely. It usually takes some time to bring the components of unused vehicles to their nominal, high pressure level, before they can be set in motion. The two biggest factors are the main reservoir, which will charge as quickly as the respective {{pll|Compressor|compressor}} can do it, and auxiliary reservoirs, which may take a long time to charge, depending on how many vehicles there are in the train.
+Due to {{pll|Cylinder Leaks|leaks}}, no brake components can remain pressurized indefinitely. It usually takes some time to bring the components of unused vehicles to their nominal, high pressure level, before they can be set in motion. The two biggest factors are the main reservoir, which will charge as quickly as the respective {{pll|Compressor|compressor}} is capable to, and auxiliary reservoirs, which may take a long time to charge, depending on how many vehicles there are in the train.
 Adding additional locomotives to the train to improve charging speeds is a viable option, as is {{pll|Compressor|revving the engine}}.
@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 ==== Train Brake Application ====
-{{pll|Train Brake|Train brake}} is applied by a control device found in motorized rail vehicles. Doing so on a fully charged train functions by air getting dumped from the brake pipe to the atmosphere. This forces auxiliary reservoirs to feed their stored pressure to brake cylinders, pressing brake shoes against wheels.
+{{pll|Train Brake|Train brake}} is applied by a {{pll|Lapping|control device}} found in motorized rail vehicles. Applying brakes on a fully charged train functions by air getting dumped from the brake pipe to the atmosphere. This forces auxiliary reservoirs to feed their stored pressure to brake cylinders, pressing brake shoes against the wheels.
 ==== Train Brake Release ====
-{{pll|Train Brake|Train brake}} is released by the same control device. Doing so on a fully charged train functions by the brake pipe getting pressurized by main reservoir. This forces auxiliary reservoirs to recharge from the pipe and no longer feed the brake cylinders, depressing the brake shoes from the wheels.
+{{pll|Train Brake|Train brake}} is released by the same {{pll|Lapping|control device}}. Releasing brakes on a fully charged train functions by the brake pipe getting pressurized by main reservoir. This forces auxiliary reservoirs to recharge from the pipe and no longer feed the brake cylinders, depressing the brake shoes from the wheels.
 ==== Automatic Stop Safety Mechanism ====
-Crucial safety feature of the compressed air brake system is that, in case of vehicle connection getting severed, such as due to a {{pll|Derailing|derailment}}, brake pipe pressure will be lost, resulting in automatic full brake application on both remaining train parts. This is integral to the compressed air brake system design.
+Crucial safety feature of the compressed air brake system is that, in case of vehicle connection getting severed, such as due to a {{pll|Derailing|derailment}}, brake pipe pressure will be lost to the atmosphere, resulting in automatic full brake application on both remaining train parts. This is integral to the compressed air brake system design in trains.
 [[Category:Air Brake System|1]]