At 17:01 13/10/99 -0700, you wrote:
>> May I offer an idea?
>>
>> I think, from what I understand, that compressed air is distributed to all
>> the cars.  Couldn't each car have an air tank that stores the compressed
air
>> and, upon a signal from a PIC, cause breaking action?
>>
>> Just a thought,
>> Max
>
>That system's already set up so that, when/if that compressed air pipe
>is vented to atmospheric pressure, the brakes are applied.
>
>Designed this way intentionally (Brakes are, by default, LOCKED, until &
>unless there's air (steam originally?) pressure in that line, so rail
>cars sitting on a siding etc. don't move much unless & until you attach
>pressure there (as you attach to an engine.)

Not quite true, there is a manual brake handle that can be used to lock or
unlock them (But that is trivial) You are quire correct in that the system
operates as a pressurised loop air (Was steam, but did not work well, as
most steam engines only have 120PSI (Some of the French ones got up to
around the 160 mark). If I recall the pressure is around 180psi in the
Westinghouse system

>
>(Thought of using said air pressure to power up a PIC, on connection of
>the car to the train;  unsure if the system has capacity for enough
>pressure/volume to do this.  Are we getting well off into fluff-land,
>yet?)

Yes there would be more than enough air to run a small turbine to power a
PIC. Some RR cars have reserve tanks so that there is no large pressure
change when brake are applied that would cause a shoke wave to run down the
train and blow apart the couplings (I think that it is correct).



FLUFF FLUFF FLUFF FLUFF FLUFF etc...



Dennis



>
>  Mark
>
>