Recent content by Poppysdad

Many years ago London Underground looked at the use of Flywheels to store energy , both on train and off train

There are a few areas to consider in the overall scheme of things The railways account for a very small % of the CO2 produced and the money need to be spent where we as a nation get the best return for the investment. The railways are currently facing a funding crisis due to the passenger...

Its a long time since I worked on Loco brake systems but if I remember correctly on a Class 92 and Class 90 the brake pipe control unit either DW (Position dependent) or NW (Time dependent) reduces the Brake Pipe pressure. The loco distributors then respond to the drop in BP but the Brake...

Many thanks for all of your comments, what I am interested in 2 car units which are regularly scheduled to operate as a 2 car train. Whilst there are a large number of two car units it has been indicated to me recently that the majority of these operate as a 4 car train comprising of 2 x 2 car...

Would anyone have any indication as to how often a train service operates using a single 2 car unit , i.e not 2 x 2 cars coupled together

Almost all multiple units operating in the UK since Class 313's onwards have utilised an EP controlled brake without a brake pipe, initially with a 3 step brake using digital train wires operating a grey code sequence. With the post privatisation fleets Alstom changed the train wire demand on...

In addition one of the biggest changes with the post privatization era EMU's was that on some designs of trains the "Motor" cars only use a single powered bogie. If I remember correctly the Juniper and Electrostar Platforms from Alstom and Bombardier (Alstom) both used a single powered bogie on...

Minor point but the brake system fitted to the Class 158's/159's was not the Westcode system supplied by Westinghouse Brakes but was a different system albeit it similar supplied by Davis and Metcalf. The energisation and de-energisation of the trains wires is in a grey code sequence. Regarding...

Ref the sand level sensing you are not strictly correct regarding measurement of sand. You are correct in so much as older trains had a sensor which triggered an indication when the sand level reached a pre determined level but this is not the case with more modern trains with sanding level...

Magnetic track brakes are used on mainline trains in a number of other countries and have been considered at various times within the UK. There are a number of other technologies which have been tested which would improve the situation of poor adhesion, see link below ADHERE 2020 Webinar Series...

Traditionally freight wagons have an automatic air service brake which will apply air pressure from the BSR in the event of a reduction or venting of the brake pipe using the air stored in the BSR as the protected energy source, however the parking/hand brakes are traditionally very simply using...

Where d Where did the Siemens comment originate from ?

I have read the comments with interest having been involved in almost all of the fleets mentioned albeit not from a drivers perspective. Some of the comments relating to feel of the brake system could be more associated with the brake system design and components rather than the controller itself

Whilst this is an interesting trial the efficiency of generating power at the wheel of hydrogen is very low and therefore expensive. In Modern Railways Informed Sources 27th August Roger Fords article entitled "Alternative traction – the big guns open up" Roger Ford quotes "David Shirres has...

Its along time since i did anything on loco's aqnd brake piped systems but from what i remember there is a pressure switch on the loco's and i assume that same would apply to the class 43's, which would cut traction in the event of the brake pipe falling below a preset level. On EMU's the train...