Women

[tabbypurr]

a train stuck on the tracks that can't move is a serious problem.

NT

[charles]

particularly if you are only part way through your 400 mile journey. Happened to me as a passenger last November, Train stopped at Berwick and then tehbrakes wouldn't release. Took about half an hour to solve the problem

[dennis]

That's why you can use a lever/wheel to release them when there is no air pressure to do so. There is no actual operating (as in moving stuff about) difference other than one is safer than the other.

[dennis]

They could have just wound the brakes off, but you don't want to be on a train without brakes.

[dennis]

Well you are the one that thinks getting lots of driving faults means you are a good driver.

[Andrew]

The FA was part-exed for an FB Super, ENY900C and we went all the way to the south of france with a Lamont frame tent and other stuff on the roof rack and all manner of stuff rattling around our feet, including tins of food for some reason.

Oddly enough, this was prior to joining the common market and I don't recollect any holdups at French customs at all. All you needed was a Green Carnet.

[Steve Walker]

Except they'd have to release the brakes against the force of a strong spring, rather than just operating a valve.

Also when parked up on the flat, only a very few handbrakes need be applied, whereas an air released brake system would have all the brakes on and all would have to be released individually and manually.

Finally, they'd have to have those strong (and dangerous during maintenance) springs, with the brake force being limited to the available spring pressure, whereas the air applied ones can have much greater force and only a weak spring to return the brakes to the off position.

I don't know if that is why the system was chosen, but I am pretty sure that they'll have thought it all through carefully and have had good reasons for the choice.

SteveW

[dennis]

So that makes it safer than relying on the air pressure being there to keep the brakes applied which is the whole point that you appear to have missed.

[bert]

In article [e-mail]>, charles [e-mail]> writes

It was the braking system which ultimately killed AP2.

[bert]

Ford Consul similar.

[bert]

In article [e-mail]>, Graeme [e-mail]> writes

I see Harlech has now claimed the steepest road in the world title at

37%.

[Steve Walker]

No I have not missed it. This was probably looked at in great depth during the early days and they must have come to the conclusion that the advantages of an air to brake system, with stored air for emergency operation outweighed the advantages of an air to release system. Sacrificing a small amount of safety against operational (and physical) advantages.

SteveW

[dennis]

8<

Yes but apparently the fault was oversize pins causing brake lock ups.

I just don't understand why they didn't fix the pins, there were only a couple of trains at the time.

Sounds like an excuse to me.

[Vir Campestris]

/some/ cars. My PS is really only for parking, and turns off at speed.

Andy

[Bob Eager]

My car needs PS for parkimg too. The auto parking!

[tabbypurr]

wow, he's figured out the utterly obvious.

[tabbypurr]

air pressure to do so.

than one is safer than the other.

so there is a difference.

[tabbypurr]

So even when pointed out you still don't get it.

[dennis]

8<

I get that you think that doing things in bad ways doesn't make you a bad driver.. until you hit something.

[dennis]

You still don't understand anything I see.