I presume the brake shoes wear out. How long do they last? What method is used to track wear on freight car brake shoes ? Are there still "car knocker" inspections? If they are worn, how long does it take to replace them? Does the car have to be returned to the host railroad for the work?
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Would there be any advantage of freight cars going to disk brakes?
Dominic Mazoch posted:Would there be any advantage of freight cars going to disk brakes?
No. The big advantage with disc brakes, is on passenger equipment with their MUCH higher speeds, i.e. 100+ MPH.
One of the reasons I asked is that I heard that in the old days all the shoes had to be replaced if there was a long downgrade with brakes on.
There is a wear indicator on the shoe. Car inspectors can change shoes easily with just a few taps the with a hammer on most cars. Old shoes can sometimes be found laying along the yard tracks.....Hey! sounds like a good layout detail.
A brake shoe is held to the brake head with L shaped key, this key is called the brake shoe key. The short leg of the L is the handle for pulling the key upward to free the brake shoe from the brake head, the new brake shoe is placed on the brake head and the key is pushed downward securing the break shoe in position. Brake shoe friction material,sintered iron/composite (Cobra) type is pressure bonded to a steel plate, this steel plated has a die formed projected area at midlength, the top and bottom faces of this projected area has slotted holes for the brake key to pass through for securement. The long leg of the L shape is tapered near the bottom and has a rippled surface for securement to the brake head, these are die formed spring steel, crossection is rectangular I believe 1/8 inch high by 1/2 to 5/8 inch wide.
Thanx for the answers, everyone.
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