3. Brake sizing

3.1 Efforts involved and braking modes

In traction, the effort is developed by the motorized machine, so the distance needed to get up to speed can be very long; the timetable takes this into account.

When braking, the stopping distance is a key factor in safety and traffic spacing, since for a given speed, it must be less than the distance at which warning and stop signs are installed.

This obligation imposes a retarding effort, and therefore an energy to be dissipated, which the motorized vehicle cannot produce on its own. Each towed vehicle must therefore contribute to braking as a direct result of its mass. Unlike traction, braking must be shared by all vehicles in the train.

Kinetic energy to be destroyed...