Slow Service

[Inniskeen]

Yes the same physics which make the steel wheel on a steel rail so efficient is also an Achilles heel when it comes to leaf fall and other rail contaminants.

While the issue is not unique to Ireland, the problem here (and in the UK) has become more acute in recent years as modern braking sytems do not act directly on the wheels but are a combination of dynamic braking and axle mounted discs. Older brake sytems actually cleaned the wheels and removed contaminants, something which newer systems do not do.

While not a complete solution most modern braking and traction control systems worldwide incorporate automatic sanding systems. The reason locomotive hauled trains on Irish Rail were (and remain) particularly susceptible to leaf fall is that Irish Rail have been traditionally very reluctant to use locomotive sanding equipment. In some countries it is illegal and impractical to operate a train without a fully functional sanding system to support both traction and braking.