DISC BRAKES IN THE U.S.A.

In 1948 the Union Pacific Railroad decided to use disc brakes in new stock. When the first disc-braked cars were put in service, they were mixed with cars equipped with clasp brakes. Trains composed exclusively of cars with disc brakes were assembled. The results have been a reduction in noise and in jolting when trains are being stopped. Thermal cracking of wheel tires has been virtually eliminated. Certain interesting cost figures have been got out comparing the use of clasp and disc brakes on one of the trains over a 12-month period. The cast-iron tread shoes of the clasp brakes required renewal after every round trip of 4,598 miles, 73 changes of shoes thus being made during the year; the disc brake shoes ran an average of 90,000 miles each, and so required an average of 3.73 changes only. Over a full year, the renewals of short clasp brakes cost a total of $48,865.60 and of the long type $65,045.26, whereas the corresponding expenditure for Budd disc brake renewals was $7,221.48.

• Corporate Authors:

  Temple Press Limited

  161-166 Fleet Street
  Longon EC4,   England 
• Publication Date: 1958-6-13

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 677-678
• Serial:
  • RAILWAY GAZETTE
  • Volume: 108

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Brakes; Costs; Cracking; Disc brakes; Maintenance management; Noise; Railroads; Sound level; Technology; Thermal degradation; Wear; Wheel rims; Wheels
• Uncontrolled Terms: Maintenance costs; Railroad noise
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Old TRIS Terms: Braking systems; Thermal cracks; Thermal cracks (Wheels)
• Subject Areas: Environment; Finance; Railroads; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00037671
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 8 1994 12:00AM