The system that BN had was hard wired car to car. Brake pipe stayed at 90 psi and the brakes set and relesed based on the the power braking system (using air off the BP but not drawing down the BP) . This also means that is the power brake fail you still have your automatic brakes. But like I said I have never worked with power brakes so I may be a little mis-informed. Adam
Dunno if you folks heard the latest but the NTSB preliminary findings put the blame on inattention of the hogger on the METRA/Rock Island District train that derailed in a crossover killing 3 persons. That was sorta my hypothesis,but what is unanswered is why METRA, who has all the money in the world to spend and has been fraught with scandal, couldn't spend some money on that crossover. There is no valid reason why a 10mph crossover should exist in high speed territory. METRA had problems a couple of years ago on that very same crossover. The BNSF has a 12mph Crossover in Cicero B plant, that shouldn't be there either except it is used to crossover freight moves from Cicero Yard proper to the CECO yard on the north side of the 3MT. That X-over caught me once with a light engine move going to the RH. Went thru it a good deal more than 12mph, got a helluva ride but stayed on the rails. It still shouldn't be there,but it is!. Most of the x-overs on the "Aurora Racetrack" are 30 or 35mph and there is a 50mph X-over in the Lisle plant. That is what they all should be! CT
