What happens when a train's emergency brakes are activated?

If you ride the subway often you might have heard that a train is delayed because its brakes were activated. But what does that really mean? Let's take a look at the three ways a trains brakes can be activated. During regular train service, a train operator uses the service brake to slow and stop the train. If the train operator notices something dangerous on the train or the tracks ahead, the train operator applies the emergency brakes manually. This releases the air pressure from the braking system requiring the train to use friction brakes only to bring the train to a stop as quickly as possible. If a passenger pulls the emergency cord, this will apply the train's automatic brakes, but a sudden stop could present harm to yourself or others. The emergency cord or handle should never be pulled while the train is in motion unless the movement of the train presents an imminent danger to life and limb. It's only safe to pull the cord when you are in a station where emergency services can get to you faster. Once the emergency brake is pulled, the brakes have to reset before the train can move again. A train's emergency brakes can also become activated by a tripping device. This is a small lever on the tracks that quickly triggers the emergency brakes and stops the train when it encounters something unusual on its journey like debris or a signal malfunction. The train crew is required to inspect the train inside and out whenever the brakes are activated to make sure everyone is safe and to locate what triggered the brakes. And sometimes this occurs in hard to reach spaces that take the train crew longer to navigate. The train crew removes the object that triggered the tripping device using a shoe paddle. If everything looks okay to the train crew, the train is back in action within a few minutes. But in the meantime, conductors are always actively communicating with you and keeping you updated. So next time you hear that “chow” or “whoosh” from the bottom of a train before coming to a quick stop, remember, it's for your safety. We're always working to reduce any unnecessary use of emergency brakes on your subway ride, but when properly applied, they are vital to our transit system that keeps millions of New Yorkers safely moving every day.

Channel: mtainfo

Views: 81,852

Keywords: mta, nyc, ny, transit, bus, train, railroad, bridges, tunnels, transportation

Id: ikiz7mL8DSM

Length: 2min 22sec (142 seconds)

Published: Fri Apr 14 2023