I find the recent discussion line concerning the proper procedures to follow
when connecting glad hands and opening angle cocks to be fascinating.
Thediscussion is knowledgeable, informative and entertaining. There are many of
us railfans who have a basic general knowledge of how a train and crew works
but, never having worked in train service, are woefully short on specifics.
Oftentimes a real railroader knows how something works but cannot explain it to
others. Hence, the appeal of groups and articulate discussions such as these.
Regarding further specifics of air brake dynamics I speak for myself, and
Isuspect a great many others, when I say that while I have a basic general
knowledge of how a train?s pressurized air line keeps the brakes on individual
cars released, and how angle cocks are used to retain that pressure when cuts
of cars are set out, past that I am a little bit fuzzy. For example, how and
why retainers are utilized in practice has never been adequatelyexplained to
me. Nor do I have a working knowledge of whether or not brakes can be applied
to only certain sections of a moving train, and not others. If so, how is this
done? Additionally, what circumstances call for the application of the hand
brake, and just how effective is that appliance? I have seen switching moves
during which the brakeman fully applied the hand brake while the car was being
spotted, and yet the car?s wheels continued to move as the car was being pushed
by the locomotive. Is it ever possible to apply the hand brake to such a point
that the wheels will lock up, and skid if an attempt is made to move the car?
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