Independent Brake

Independent brake is a braking system type designed as a way to stop, or slow down, individual motorized rail vehicles .

Similarly to train brakes , independent ones use mechanical brake shoes controlled by compressed air . However, they only serve a particular vehicle and not the entire train. Because their working volume is smaller than that of a train brake, pressure equalization is quicker, making independent brakes more practical to use on solo vehicles.

Unlike train brakes, independent brakes bypass the brake pipe and work with pressure in the opposite manner. They receive pressurized air from the main reservoir directly when applied, and dump pressure into the atmosphere when released. Both train and independent brakes use the same brake cylinder , so the dominant one is the type that is applied more.

Motorized vehicles connected in a multiple-unit configuration all synchronously apply their independent brakes.