Driver Skid-Pan training

Many areas of the country suffer from low levels of wheel/rail friction at various times of year, typically in late autumn or early on spring mornings. The conditions are the railway equivalent to black ice on the roads and it is important for drivers to both appreciate that such conditions can occur and to learn to react appropriately.

DeltaRail has two "tried and tested" methods for simulating low adhesion which have been used extensively in recent to train railway drivers (particularly new drivers) in the techniques to employ in slippery conditions:

  • The detergent spray method - a mix of water and detergent is sprayed in front of the leading wheelset to generate low wheel/rail adhesion.
  • The paper tape method - paper tape is rolled onto the railhead and then conditioned such that it turns into very realistic leaf film which, when moistened appropriately from on-board spray equipment, produces worst-case operating conditions.

    • DeltaRail

    Laying Paper tape for Skid Pan Training

    The on-train spray equipment used has been developed over a number of years and the current set-up is compact and easy to install / remove. Bespoke paper tape laying trolleys (as shown above) have also been developed over a number of years and facilitate the rapid and reliable deployment and removal of paper tape to / from the rail head.

    If you would like further information on the artificial generation of low adhesion conditions for driver training or other purposes, such as post-incident testing of train braking systems, facility, please contact Sam Richardson by email at sam.richardson@deltarail.com or by phone on +44 (0) 870 190 1568.

    © DeltaRail Group Limited 2008