Guys,
Not knowing EVERYTHING about trains I need to ask the question: What exactly are dynamic brakes, how do they work, and why were there some railroads that did not use them.
Are they like Airbrakes on a big truck?
I assume that they were a braking system applied to assist on grades and the railraods that had little to no grades didn’t have a need to them. Am I close?
Why were they given the name “dynamic”
This will tell you better than I can.
Thanks Jeff, that did help a lot. I never really knew that they could create that kind of system for braking, but it makes since. I think those physics classes in college payed off to help me understand what was being talked about.
For those of you that remember driving a stick shift…
Using dynamic brakes is like downshifting. Basically the traction motors are turned into generators, and the retarding force slows the train.
Today, dynamics are standard on nearly everything - current train handling practices advocate the use of dynamics over air for train control.
Previously, as a cost saving measure, only locomotives operating in hilly areas were equipped with dynamics.
Nick
I use downshifting with our AT’s as well, for the same reasons: more control on steep, mountain hills.