Rail braking: turning over a new leaf

摘要

Although the well-worn anecdote about wet leaves bringing the UK rail network to a standstill is wearing a bit thin now, autumn leaf falls and winter conditions can have a serious effect on the timetabling of trains, to allow them longer times and greater distances to stop due to the condition of the rails. To eliminate this problem once and for all, Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) launched a competition among technology suppliers to find a way of halting a train efficiently regardless of rail adhesion.