Vlocity Powering & Braking

- close the doors and wait for the doors open light to extinguish for power to be available

- the hill start button is used to prevent the vehicle rolling

If the power/brake controller (PBC) is moved to a power notch before the doors are closed, it needs to be moved back into the braking range for 3 seconds before power can be obtained.

If the secondary brake controller is being used to stop the train and the doors are opened and closed it will still be necessary to move the PBC to a brake position before traction can be obtained.

Using the secondary brake controller to override the automatic reduction of friction brakes during blended electropneumatic/hydrodynamic braking can result in excessive forces being applied to the braking system, bogies, and other equipment.

If the vehicle speed is greater than 20 km/h and the PBC is in the braking zone and the brake pipe pressure is between 250 and 450 KPA, the system will treat this as a major braking event and will release the hydrodynamic brake and apply the emergency friction brakes.

This situation must exist for more than three seconds to trigger a major breaking event.

If the EP brake fails in service and the automatic airbrake and park brake are operating correctly, cut in the secondary brake SBC and the velocity may continue in service until it next arrives at Southern Cross where it should be withdrawn from traffic.

To isolate the EP brake:

- Open the cab electrical locker

- break the seal and rotate the electropneumatic brake (EP brake isolate switch to the isolate position this will isolate the EP brake on that car only)

- Cut in the secondary brake controller

- Operate the train using the secondary brake controller

- Send a fault report

Vlocities are provided with automatic sanding equipment which will operate on the detection of heavy wheel slip/spin.

The driver can use manual sanding as well as utilising throttle manipulation while powering to assist in rectifying the wheel slip.

Should wheel slip persist, it is advisable to move the throttle to a lower power setting or shut off and resume powering in a lower notch.

- do not attempt to release and reapply the brakes - this will interrupt the WSP system from doing its work. The WSP system is already doing this on the axels that are skidding - if the driver is attempting to release and reapply the brake, this may result in increased stopping distances

- allow for longer stopping distances

- apply only as much brake demand is needed, taking the longer stopping distance into account

- use the sand pedal early and continue to hold the pedal down until the wheel slip prevention (WSP) has stopped intervening

- let the WSP system control the brake application

- Do not attempt to release and reapply the brakes – this will interrupt the WSP system from doing its work. The WSP system is already doing this on the axles that are skidding – if the driver is attempting to release and reapply the brake he may cause increased stopping distances

The shortest stopping distance will be achieved by letting the WSP system control the braking effort on the axles experiencing wheel slip.

- the power/brake controller (PBC) is moved into the application zone as required, reducing speed, or stopping the vehicle

- as the vehicle reduces speed, power/brake controller is moved back towards the minimum braking position to make a smooth stop

If one or more bogies on the train have been isolated, the brake cylinder pressure tile will flash when the brakes are applied.