Sticking brake question

Jason Midyette · **Posted:** Sun Aug 06, 2006 8:01 pm

I am dealing with a Denver & Rio Grande Western narrow gauge freight car that refuses to release its brakes. Even though the piston fully retracts (and the handbrake is released), the brakes on one or both trucks intermitantly will not release. If you really haul off and kick the brake beams (car has body hung brake beams) the brakes will release. I have tried numerous adjustments to the brake rigging but the stupid car still wants to act like a boat anchor! Any ideas would be welcomed!

The car in question has a 'K" triple valve and a 8x12 brake cylinder. I just replaced he brake shoes on one truck (they were worn paper thin, those on the other truck were fine) and adjusted the piston travel from 10+ inches back to around 6 inches, thats when the fun began.

Thanks

Jason Midyette

Martyhuck · **Posted:** Sun Aug 06, 2006 8:23 pm

Ah yes, body-hung brake beams - gotta luv em! We only have one car left in service with them, and I'd like to change the trucks. Two things to look at, Jason. Are there any pull off springs to make the shoes release? Or are the hangers binding up?

Dave · **Posted:** Mon Aug 07, 2006 6:10 am

Hi Jason - might look for things in the rods and rigging that are binding where you don't expect to find them. Also, wear in the hanging hardware grooving into the metal to the point that shoulders can catch links, etc. When all else fails, disassembly, building up and smoothing out, and reassembly will probably cure it - but it is a pretty intensive job.

At some point the repairs exceed the value of the remaining useful life of the car - what does the rest of the car look like?

dave

kjohnson · **Posted:** Mon Aug 07, 2006 11:53 am

Greetings:

One thing that hasn't been mentioned in the previous posts: Have you tried lubricating all the moving parts ? If the brakes didn't stick prior to the "adjustments" it could be that some surfaces that had not been used in a long time could have an accumulation of old sticky, dirty lubrication, which would also cause the intermittant problem.

If the connecting pins haven't been removed, cleaned and lubed, along with oiling all the links and hangers, I would try that as well. Some pins may have rust on them, a good cleaning with e heavy duty wire wheel and new lubrication might help to solve your issue.

Best of luck

Karl Johnson