Stepless brakes and their stepped equivalents

[greaterangrier]

There was recently a thread about the benefits and drawbacks of stepless brakes versus stepped brakes, but I'm wondering about:

How much of a change has this led to with driving policy?
What's the approximate percentage value equivalent for each step?

As an outsider, I can't make any backed up observations, but I've noticed that the introduction of stepless brakes seems to have caused a reversal in driving technique - where drivers used to brake in step 2 and reduce by the platform, they now start off continuously and make splashes of really aggressive braking quite late while in the platform and I keep nearly falling over .

Thanks in advance, and I expect to be proved wrong

 

[Egg Centric]

Where is this thread? It sounds potentially interesting but I can't find it

 

[ExRes]

Where is this thread? It sounds potentially interesting but I can't find it

Possibly the 'Speculative Discussion' thread titled 'Drivers signing different traction types : is a new system required?' which was closed in Feb 2022

 

[Egg Centric]

Possibly the 'Speculative Discussion' thread titled 'Drivers signing different traction types : is a new system required?' which was closed in Feb 2022

Just had a wee look and don't think so

 

[Plodster]

Power and Brake Controllers

Hello 1. Do you prefer combined power brake controllers or separate power and brake controllers? 2. Do you prefer 3 step, 6 step or variable brake? If variable brake, do you prefer it fully variable or where minimum application is 20-30% brake? 3. Is there a particular style of controller you...

www.railforums.co.uk

Was this the recent thread?

 

[ComUtoR]

they now start off continuously and make splashes of really aggressive braking quite late while in the platform and I keep nearly falling over .

Thanks in advance, and I expect to be proved wrong

Could it be that you are feeling the tread brakes suddenly kick in at low speeds or on some stock the change from regen to friction ?

 

[irish_rail]

There was recently a thread about the benefits and drawbacks of stepless brakes versus stepped brakes, but I'm wondering about:

How much of a change has this led to with driving policy?
What's the approximate percentage value equivalent for each step?

As an outsider, I can't make any backed up observations, but I've noticed that the introduction of stepless brakes seems to have caused a reversal in driving technique - where drivers used to brake in step 2 and reduce by the platform, they now start off continuously and make splashes of really aggressive braking quite late while in the platform and I keep nearly falling over .

Thanks in advance, and I expect to be proved wrong

Do you refer to 80x? This could be the regenerative brake that basically releases at 10mph and then becomes the friction brake and suddenly hits you!

 

[800301]

We are told that on sight of a restrictive signals they would like to see a minimum of a Step 2 Brake application which would be equivalent to around 60% on an 80X.

Personally I find the regenerative braking on an 80X to be hit and miss, there is a delay sometimes before it does anything causing you to sometimes apply more than needed as you don’t feel you’ve applied enough, there are times that it’s been disabled or isn’t working due to faults with the unit, some units are better than others, it can be hard to judge how and where the unit is going to stop at times and some drivers can be quite abrupt with the brakes at times coming into stations, the first few times I drove Pad to Bedwyn in an 80x it took a bit of getting used to compared to a 387/165 as the majority of time the work I do in an 80x is Pad to Reading or Oxford and I feel that I wasn’t as consistent in my braking mainly because I was trying to guage how it was slowing down, but now I feel fine with it, just takes a bit of getting used to, I always aim to come to a complete stop in initial or less than 30% personally, ideally from about 10mph or under but if you’ve misjudged that then you don’t really have a choice than to use a higher percentage, I think but don’t quote me Step 1 would be equivalent to around 33%, Step 2 66%, Step 3 80ish% emergency 100%

In an 80x full service shows around 80% on the brake force guage depending on the unit

 

[irish_rail]

We are told that on sight of a restrictive signals they would like to see a minimum of a Step 2 Brake application which would be equivalent to around 60% on an 80X.

Personally I find the regenerative braking on an 80X to be hit and miss, there is a delay sometimes before it does anything causing you to sometimes apply more than needed as you don’t feel you’ve applied enough, there are times that it’s been disabled or isn’t working due to faults with the unit, some units are better than others, it can be hard to judge how and where the unit is going to stop at times and some drivers can be quite abrupt with the brakes at times coming into stations, the first few times I drove Pad to Bedwyn in an 80x it took a bit of getting used to compared to a 387/165 as the majority of time the work I do in an 80x is Pad to Reading or Oxford and I feel that I wasn’t as consistent in my braking mainly because I was trying to guage how it was slowing down, but now I feel fine with it, just takes a bit of getting used to, I always aim to come to a complete stop in initial or less than 30% personally, ideally from about 10mph or under but if you’ve misjudged that then you don’t really have a choice than to use a higher percentage, I think but don’t quote me Step 1 would be equivalent to around 33%, Step 2 66%, Step 3 80ish% emergency 100%

In an 80x full service shows around 80% on the brake force guage depending on the unit

Personally I will only go straight to 60 percent brake if doing 125mph and its a relatively short signal section. Usually when sighting a double yellow, I will give a minimum brake application for a couple of seconds before increasing it gradually but swiftly. Too be honest, some drivers really don't seem to care one bit about passenger comfort (which is fair enough, safety is the overriding factor), but I generally find that I can start with a minimum brake app for a couple of seconds before increasing it. Exceptions to that rule include getting a double yellow at Burnham on the Up main where there is a short section, and there are several other similar locations where something more than "initial" is needed quickly.

 

[greaterangrier]

Do you refer to 80x? This could be the regenerative brake that basically releases at 10mph and then becomes the friction brake and suddenly hits you!

Could be a similar thing! For me it's the 720s which have just replaced the 321s

 

[800301]

Could be a similar thing! For me it's the 720s which have just replaced the 321s

Oh then it’s probably the same thing along with the Crossrail 345’s, I’ve been out with drivers and generally they will pick a initial percentage and then adjust as necessary to come to a stop some do it better than others but I’ve definitely been thrown about a few 720’s coming into the platform