Re: To The University Types

Dan Holdsworth wrote:
I heard a tale of a man who mounted an exBritish Rail train horn on a
bike, plus a pair of lead-acid batteries to give the necessary volts to
(briefly) operate it.

Chris Suslowicz wrote:
I thought they used compressed air horns, having a ready supply for the
(emergency) braking system (the working brakes being vacuum operated)?

I can't comment on BR horns -- it's quite plausible that different
classes (of locos / multiple units) have different mechanisms.

Most railway brakes are either vacuum or air operated -- either higher
or lower pressure is created in the brake pipes, which pushes the brakes
away from the wheels. If the pipes are allowed to come to normal
atmospheric pressure, the brakes naturally start braking again. This
means that if the train should divide at speed, both parts of the train
will automatically be brought to a standstill.

These are used for normal braking and for emergency work.

James.

--
E-mail: james@ | Beneath this stone lies Murphy,
aprilcottage.co.uk | They buried him today,
| He lived the life of Riley,
| While Riley was away.
.

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