[PRCo] Re: Drum__Brakes_--_All-Electrics,__etc........

[Herb Brannon]

When mechanical 'things' (in this case a 1945 PCC streetcar, still operating in 1975-76) get to a certain age, like humans, they start to fall apart. Yes, it was the "Spirit of '76" car, and it had a bad air leak. It would not have mattered if it would have had every type of air applied brake known to mankind, it still would not have stopped without any air pressure to apply the brakes. That brake system (air applied/spring release), in my opinion, was one of the more stupid systems devised. Couldn't at least one of the scores of engineers working on the PCC project thought far enough to realize that a spring applied/air released system would have been safer ???? They thought enought to put a 'hand brake' on the car, why not a "fail safe" braking system? 
Boris Cefer <westinghouse at iol.cz> wrote:  Are you sure, Herb? 1776 was formerly an interurban car with B-3 trucks and 
spring-applied drum brakes with air actuators (pressure-releasing).

B



Rise Up -- Go Cavs
  Herb Brannon