What are all these brake parts?

Gerry, I have no idea what each and every part would be called. I've just gone by the underbody and car end diagrams for the car I'm building and use the parts needed to match. Probably left something out that no one will ever see and I'll never figure out what it is. The Tichy KC's have parts for different assemblies for the brake wheels so you won't use all the parts on one car. I know what you mean about those microscopic parts. I have one of those Extra Hand things with a magnifying glass on it. Does that ever come in handy when adding these little bits and pieces. Bruce

First off, KC brakes were used early on with railroading so unless you are doing 19th century stuff, that braking system would be out of use on a railroad. When you look at what a brake system does, you will see all of the needed parts from the sprues. The cylinder, the brakewheel and stand, the control valve and the tank are, of course, the big parts that are fairly easily recognizable but there is also a lot of little brackets and so forth that take the motion of the brake cylinder to the two trucks and then to the shoes. Do a google on railroad brake systems and I suspect that you wil see a bit of stuff on all of the details of a braking system.

-- Bob May Losing weight is easy! If you ever want to lose weight, eat and drink less. Works every time it is tried!

Bob,

KC brakes were not outlawed by the ICC until about 1953/54, IIRC. I have many photos showing freight cars in service in the late 40s/early 50s still fitted with KC brakes and stemwinder handbrake wheels.

Mark.

The info I've gathered off this newsgroup in months past is that KC brakes were going to be outlawed in the 30s, but kept getting extended due to the Depression, then WW II, then the recession and getting the civilian market rolling again.

Jay CNS&M North Shore Line - "First and fastest"

Mark, Did they use cars with KC for interchange up until then or was there an earlier cut off date for that like archbar trucks. When were they generally no longer installed on new cars? Since I model more or less around 1920 I have cars with KCs but some newer cars should have ABs. Is this correct. Thanks, Bruce

Bruce, I will have to check some references I have at home this evening before answering this. But my recollection is that the ban on KC brakes was for interchange. I'll give you a more detailed answer once I've done some reading.

All the best,

Mark.

JCunington wrote: >>

I think that is the case, Jay. There were a number of ICC edicts extended for reasons such as these.

Mark.

Yep, it was for interchange service. KC brakes were originally going to be outlawed in the early '30s but the railroads successfully lobbied to have that date pushed back several times. I'll note that the type of brakewheel used didn't determine the brake system type as the function of any of the brakewheel designs is essentially the same - pulling on a chain to put the cylinder in the apply position. Also, what a railroad did on its own territory with its private equipment was its problem so things like archbar trucks and KC brake systems lasted for a lot longer than in interchange service and that equipment only went away when it became difficult to service the parts due to a lack of repair parts.

-- Bob May Losing weight is easy! If you ever want to lose weight, eat and drink less. Works every time it is tried!

Bruce, I'm stumped! I don't have a single printed reference to a cut-off date for the use of H brakes. However, in terms of appearance, the H barke was very similar to the later K brake, as both used the combined auxilliary reservoir, brake cylinder and triple valve assembly introduced by Westinghouse in 1879. Only the details of the triple valve differed, and that difference was mainly internal. So you could safely use K brake castings, very few people would nitpick you on that.

Cheers,

Mark.