On Tuesday, April 29, 2014 9:07:27 AM UTC+1, tony sayer wrote:
In article 53ffa83444dave, Dave Plowman (News)
dave scribeth thus
In article ,
tony sayer wrote:

Well exactly. Train brakes are pretty crap by and large.

Due to the actual brake system or the steel wheel on steel rails?...

It's not that long ago they had simple brake blocks. Then they got discs -
long after they were common on cars.

Yes, but back to the original question its not much use being able to
stop the wheel from rotating unless it maintains grip with the rail.
And seeing the vids on Youtube of some poor olde kettles slipping to get
trains up some grades;!...

So many folk imagining that train braking is all done by wheel to track friction. Its not.


NT