But how would you introduce a new standard without making it incompatible with the existing rolling stock?
I'm no expert on trains, but I do take an interest in them.
I believe trains can have either air or vacuum brakes and steam or electric heating.
As long as the locomotive is equipped for both and the train is made up of one type of wagon or the other, it's not a problem.
I don't know about the US, but in the UK, the days of mixed goods trains are long gone.
Most goods trains are made up of identical wagons coupled together in permanent sets.
It shouldn't be too hard to upgrade the wagons in sets.
I can tell you're impressed with how up to date their technology is, aren't you Graham?
I was genuinely shocked when I read about how they work.
It really is a crap system and it seems to be accepted that the driver has to use his skill in estimating how much air is left in the reservoirs to compensate for the crapness and avoid a runaway.
If a trailer behind a truck loses its air it will stop.
It might rip the tread off all six tyres as they lock up and the car behind might run in to it as screeches to a sudden halt, but it [b]will[/b] stop and the brakes will remain applied until someone connects an air supply or winds them all off manually.
That's a proper fail safe system.
I'm actually a qualified safety engineer. And that is truly shocking, right up there with the helicopters that suffered rotor detachemnt on gearbox failure.
Oh, and we did the whole engineer/mechanic thing a year ago.
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/what-i-do-at-work-bus-in-bits-content
I remember thinking at the time that I ought to refer to myself as an engineer more often, knowing as I do now how important some people think job titles are. 😉
I'm actually a qualified safety engineer.
I'm not, but I don't think I'd could even get a risk assessment passed if it was relying on that train braking system.
