Re: Air brake diameters

Andy Payne once said he ran the Monarch limestone train in the diesel era. Upon leaving Monarch he made a 24-pound reduction. Retailers were in high pressure setting. He did not say if that was every set he made going down the mountain or just the first one.
Roger Mylie said before distributed power was used on Tennessee pass the westbound taconite trains were limited to 50 cars. At the summit the conductor would get off the locomotive and set up every other retainer. When he got to the back of the train he would radio the engineer, who would release the brakes, charging the retailers. Then the conductor would return to the locomotive, setting the remaining 25 retainers. The train would then go through the tunnel and begin cycling the air brakes down the mountain with the dynamic brakes on.