Twiflex T40 Hydraulic Brake Caliper for Rail Wagons

May 31, 2016
Rail Wagons

One of the prime processes of steel making is the conversion of coal to coke by burning out the sulphur and other impurities which would otherwise contaminate the steel. At the Teeside Works in the UK it takes place over a period of 17 hours in a number of large coke ovens each holding 28 tonnes of coal.

Large pusher machines are used to discharge red hot coke into rail wagons where it is water cooled before being transferred to the stockpiles. The 20 tonne locomotives pulling these wagons are controlled electrically through the drive motor, but in the event of an emergency or power failure, four Twiflex T40 hydraulic brake calipers are applied to safely stop the wagon.

The vehicle brakes originally fitted were unreliable in conditions which could result in the locomotives driving through piles of hot coke. Because of the toughness and reliability of the T40 hydraulic brake caliper, the Teeside works is converting all their coke oven wagon locomotives to Twiflex braking.

Twiflex T40 Hydraulic Brake Caliper