Groundstaff Question on brakes if anyone could help :)

[RailFan2484]

Hey guys,

Pretty new here so apologies if this is in the wrong section. I'm looking into becoming a groundstaff member for freightliner and with no previous experience I'm trying to read as much online as I can.

So say on your standard two bogied/ 4 axled wagon, Can a brake be isolated on just one axle? Or does it have to be the whole bogie everytime? Is there any info anywhere I could read up on isolating brakes and the processes to follow.

Any info would be greatly appreciated

 

[GB]

No you can't isolate individual boggies, you isolate the distributor (then pull the distributor chord) so it is all or nothing.

Isolating brakes is easy and you will probably be taught "ric, dic, pull, kick".

Isolate the reservoir (if a twin piped wagon) If it's a single piped wagon go straight to next step.
Isolate the distributor
Pull the distributor chord until all air is vented
"kick" the brakes (ie check the brakes have released)

Obviously tell TOPS and or your control so they can log it and update the system.

 

[RailFan2484]

No you can't isolate individual boggies, you isolate the distributor (then pull the distributor chord) so it is all or nothing.

Isolating brakes is easy and you will probably be taught "ric, dic, pull, kick".

Isolate the reservoir (if a twin piped wagon) If it's a single piped wagon go straight to next step.
Isolate the distributor
Pull the distributor chord until all air is vented
"kick" the brakes (ie check the brakes have released)

Obviously tell TOPS and or your control so they can log it and update the system.

OK great thanks, makes more sense now than what I was thinking.



 

 

[Wyrleybart]

Just to add that if you are isolating brakes on the rearmost wagon of a train you run into problems. I have been out of freight for over thirty years but there was always a ruling that you could not have a "blow thru" (brake isolated) as one of the last three wagons on a train. That was back when wagons were individually coupled together and I realise some interrmodal flats are bar coupled these days

 

[Unobrow]

Hey guys,

Pretty new here so apologies if this is in the wrong section. I'm looking into becoming a groundstaff member for freightliner and with no previous experience I'm trying to read as much online as I can.

So say on your standard two bogied/ 4 axled wagon, Can a brake be isolated on just one axle? Or does it have to be the whole bogie everytime? Is there any info anywhere I could read up on isolating brakes and the processes to follow.

Any info would be greatly appreciated

You’ll be taught everything you need to know from scratch, so don’t worry too much. Have you got a start date as there’s an intake at Basford Hall at the moment?

 

[RailFan2484]

You’ll be taught everything you need to know from scratch, so don’t worry too much. Have you got a start date as there’s an intake at Basford Hall at the moment?

Yeah I thought you would do classroom work for a week to learn and then onto practical. No start date, I've sent my application in to a few depots local to me so just waiting to hear back now

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Nov 2024 ==

Just to add that if you are isolating brakes on the rearmost wagon of a train you run into problems. I have been out of freight for over thirty years but there was always a ruling that you could not have a "blow thru" (brake isolated) as one of the last three wagons on a train. That was back when wagons were individually coupled together and I realise some interrmodal flats are bar coupled these days

Would this mean you would need a 'swinger' wagon on the back if you were to isolate a wagon? Too accommodate for the brake force in which you've isolated? Thanks

 

[Dunfanaghy Rd]

Would this mean you would need a 'swinger' wagon on the back if you were to isolate a wagon? Too accommodate for the brake force in which you've isolated? Thanks

No, you have to remarshall the train to get sufficient braked vehicles behind the blow-through. A pain in the sit-upon, but that's life, and it will take as long as takes no matter how many suits start shouting the odds.
Also, the 3 vehicle rule was changed before I retired. It is now up to TOPS to calculate whether or nor your proposed formation has enough brake force. 1 may do it; you may need more than 3; all part of life's rich tapestry!
Pat

 

[RailFan2484]

No, you have to remarshall the train to get sufficient braked vehicles behind the blow-through. A pain in the sit-upon, but that's life, and it will take as long as takes no matter how many suits start shouting the odds.
Also, the 3 vehicle rule was changed before I retired. It is now up to TOPS to calculate whether or nor your proposed formation has enough brake force. 1 may do it; you may need more than 3; all part of life's rich tapestry!
Pat

Thanks Pat!

 

[norbitonflyer]

No, you have to remarshall the train to get sufficient braked vehicles behind the blow-through.
Also, the 3 vehicle rule was changed before I retired. It is now up to TOPS to calculate whether or nor your proposed formation has enough brake force. 1 may do it; you may need more than 3; all part of life's rich tapestry!

As a layman, can I ask if that is to ensure that, should the train become divided immediately ahead of the isolated wagon, there is still enough brake force to stop the rear portion of the train despite one wagon having no brakes?

In this context, what exactly is a "swinger"?

In the past there used to be trains with a "fitted head" - so many wagons behind the loco had continous brakes but the tail did not - a brake van would of course be required in such cases, as for a completely unfitted train. Are there still any situations in which unfitted or partially-fitted goods trains run now? (Delivery of MU stock excepted)

 

[GB]

As a layman, can I ask if that is to ensure that, should the train become divided immediately ahead of the isolated wagon, there is still enough brake force to stop the rear portion of the train despite one wagon having no brakes?

That is the idea yes.

In this context, what exactly is a "swinger"?

May have different meanings in different areas in the past, but these days generally it's just an unbraked/isolated vehicle.

 

[Wyrleybart]

May have different meanings in different areas in the past, but these days generally it's just an unbraked/isolated vehicle.

Yes. When I was in freight from 1980 until 2001 a "swinger" was an unbraked wagon.

Back in 1980 when I first learned TOPS the rule was five fitted behind a "blow through" but that was changed in the early 1980s to three fitted. You would only need one fitted wagon between piped wagons too, so long as you had enough fitted on the rear. This take me back to a day in the 1990s when a new driver was having a handling day and his instructor was seeking a good train for him to handle. Knowing the trainee was always up for a challenge I found a fairly convenient couple of sets of wagons to marry up and run in vacuum rather than air.

Sealions used to be dual braked bogie ballast hoppers with air and AFI vacuum brakes (brake type H). The successor design was the Seacow which had air brakes and a vacuum pipe (code B). So the handling train was formed of a number of loaded YGBs interspersed with some YGHs and IIRC some vacuum braked dogfish. This meant there was a lot of weight in the train (over a 1000 tonnes) but not very much brakeforce, although enough to comply. Added to it was a class 37/0 with the EE "feel for power" type handling.

Never forgot that, and I am still friends with the driver now !!!!