Are the air brake systems of the UIC and AAR interchangeable?
i think they are not compatible.Reason I do not know.They have different charging rates
No lecture here, mate. For that I'd have to charge ya . Da air is da air . Maybe I can help ya out there . (What the hell is that 'three dot thing' anyway?) Westinghouse automatic air brakes are compatible in nearly all circumstance, and are the standard for much of the rail operations on the planet. Only the varying pressures involved dictate any action by the control valve (this is where there are differences) on the cars for charging, application, release and recharging. That having been said, there are pitfalls where the automatic air is concerned when there are varying types in a train (think of them as 'sub-species'). Technical stuff. No need to go there. So, as long as the locomotive meets standards, the air is the air. Here, Russia, UK. Doesn't matter. It's nearly all Westinghouse design if not of Westinghouse manufacture. In the Americas, standard locomotive automatic air brake control valve is the 26L, compatible with all accepted air brake control and practices within the purview of not only the AAR, but managed by the FRA, the government agency which themselves set the rules for all air brake protocol. More than adopting a standard gage, the need for standard air brake apparatus and operating practices between all North American (to Alaska, too, via Canadian railroads, also standardized) and southward through Mexico to Central American railroads fell right into line, because, the air is the air. If the locomotive meets all standards as set by the FRA and other agencies, you're good to go with the 26L air brake schedule. So, yours is only a choice of approved power since . da air is da air ::: (Now. THAT right there is one of 'em double . s. I mean, if three is good, isn't six better?). {(Thus demonstrating the need for new punctuation . [Oops. I mean, ::: ] ). So, why DONT we have double ' ,,, ' ?}. I mean, I support the comma. Don't you? Uuuumm ::: What was the question?
