Norfolk Southern Railway (NS, Norfolk, VA) and BNSF Railway Company (BNSF, Ft. Worth, TX) will begin testing a new braking system that may reduce the amount of time it takes to stop a train. The project, authorized by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), calls for NS and BNSF to equip and test certain locomotives and freight cars with electronically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brakes.

ECP brakes have the potential to reduce stopping distances by as much as 50 to 70% over conventional air brake systems. ECP brakes utilize electronic signals to simultaneously apply and release breaking pressure throughout the length of a freight train. This differs from conventional brake systems in which each car brakes individually as air pressure moves in a series from car to car. The new brakes also perform electronic self-diagnostic checks to identify maintenance needs.

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