Disc brakes for rail applications
Braking technology

Figure 21 shows a typical disc brake system. In general, the discs are either clamped to the axle between the wheels (figure 22a ), or bolted to the wheel hub on the inside (figure 22b ). The discs are clamped in place by composite linings.

Discs flange-mounted on the wheel disc can also be found, particularly on drive axles (figure 22c ).

For traditional equipment, the disc must be ventilated, to enable descent of long slopes or omnibus steps. For these applications,...