Temperatures at railway tread braking. Part 2: calibration and numerical examples

Journal article, 2007

Temperatures in wheels and brake blocks at railway tread braking are studied under brake rig conditions. Results from rig experiments are reported for drag braking at constant brake power for brake blocks made of cast iron and of sinter and composite materials. The influence of block configuration, brake power, and brake speed is studied. A thermal model of railway tread braking, developed in a companion paper, is calibrated using the experimental data. This model analyses wheel and block temperatures and also the partitioning of heat between wheel and block in the brake tests. Numerical examples indicate the influence of brake block type on temperatures and on wheel-block heat partitioning. The influence of rail chill is studied in a complementary paper.