BRAKE POWER CERTIFICATE

1. BRAKE POWER CERTIFICATE

2. BRAKE POWER CERTIFICATE - RULES • BPC RULES – FRAMED BY • RAILWAY BOARD • COMON FOR ENTIRE INDIAN RAILWAY. • REVISED LATEST DURING 1982. • CHIEF MECHANICAL ENGINEER – AUTHORISED OFFICER TO GIVE SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS CONNECTED TO LOCAL WORKING OF TRAINS WITH IN THE ZONE.

3. BPC – PRIOR TO 1982. • MOSTLY VACUUM BRAKE STOCK – • BPC FORM No – VB 5 • COMON FOR BOTH COACHING AND GOODS TRAINS. • BPC NORMALLY VALID UP TO NEXT TRAIN EXAMINATION YARD. • COACHING TRAINS FRESH BPC ISSUED WHEN EVER LOCO CHANGED OR ANY SHUNTING PERFORMED ON THE TRAIN

4. NEED TO REVISE THE BPC RULES • CHANGE IN THE PATTERN OF GOODS TRAIN OPERATION. • TO SPEED UP THE MOVEMENT OF GOODS. • TO COPE UP WITH LATEST DEVELOPMENTS OF TRAIN OPERATION.

5. DOVELOPEMENTS IN ROLLING STOCK • INTRODUCTION OF AUTOMATIC SLACK ADJUSTER IN BRAKE RIGGING. • INTRODUCTION OF ROLLER BEARINGS. • INTRODUCTION OF AIR BRAKE SYSTEM. • INTRODUCTION OF NEW DESIGN OF TRACK FRIENDLY WAGONS. • INTRODUCTION OF COMPOSITE BRAKE BLOCKS. • PHASING OUT OF 4 WHEELERS AND LAMINATED BEARING SPRINGS.

6. REVISED BPC RULES • SEPARATE RULES GOVERNING FOR • COACHING TRAINS – • GOODS TRAINS- • REVISED FORM NO FOR BPC. • RS 6 – COACHING. • RS 6 – GOODS.

7. COACHING BPC • ANY COACHING TRAIN MOVEMENT IS A PRE PROGRAMMED MOVEMENT. • ALL COACHING TRAINS HAVING ITS NOMINATED RAKES WITH ITS PRE DETERMINED SET OF COMPOSITION OF COACHES – RAKE COMPOSITION – ITS DETERMINED MOVEMENT - RAKE LINK – AND EACH RAKE IS BASED TO A COACHING DEPOT FOR ITS PRIMARY MAINTENENCE. • COACHING RAKES ARE BASED TO A NOMINATED COACHING DEPOT FOR ITS ATTENTION – PRIMARY MAINTENANCE.

8. COACHING BPC • STANDARDS ARE FIXED FOR PRIMARY MAINTENANCE BY RAILWAY BOARD. • AFTER P M ATTENTION THE RAKE IS SUPPOSED TO COVER 2500 KMS OF RUN. • ACCORDINGLY COACHING BPCS ARE ISSUED IN THREE DIFFERENT GROUPS. 1. SINGLE BPC FOR LONG DISTANCE TRAINS 2. RETURN BPC FOR SHORT DISTANCE TRAIN LINKS 3. ROUND BPC FOR PASSENGER RAKES.

9. COACHING BPC OTHERIMPORTANT CONDITIONS • AN ENDORSEMENT TO BE MADE IN THE BPC WHERE EVER LOCOMOTIVE CHANGED or ANY SHUNTING PERFORMED TO ENSURE BRAKE CONTINUITY AND MINIMUM REQUIRED PRESSURE LEVELS IN BRAKE SYSTEM . • IN THE ABSENCE OF MECHANICAL STAFF IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF GUARD AND LOCO PILOT TO ENSURE THIS ASPECT. • A SEPARATE AIR CONTINUITY CERTIFICATE IS BEING ISSUED BY MECHNICAL DEPT. FOR THIS IN OTHER ZONES.

10. THERE IS NO LIMIT FOR ATTACHING / DETACHING OF COACHES ENROUTE FOR PRE PROGRAMMED MOVEMENT AS PER LINK. • FOR UN PROGRAMMED OR OCCASIONAL MOVEMENTS OF ATTACHING COACHES ENROUTE IF NUMBER OF COACHES ATTACHED IS MORE THAN TWO A FRESH BPC SHOULD BE ISSUED. • IN ANY SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ENSURE BRAKE CONTINUITY AND MINIMUM REQUIRED PRESSURE LEVELS IN LOCOMOTIVE AND REAR BRAKE VAN

11. BPC RULES FOR GOODS TRAINS • IN THE COMPETITIVE WORLD FOR MRAKETTING THE PRODUCTS QUICK TRANSPORTION MODE PLAYS VERY IMPORTANT ROLE • AS FAR AS GOODS TRAIN MOVEMENTS ARE CONCERNED IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO PREDICT THE LOADING, MOVEMENT, DESTINATION AND OTHER FACTORS. • WITH ALL THE FACTORS, IT IS OUR PRIME RESPONSIBILITY TO MOVE THE LOADS AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE TO THEIR DESTINATIONS.

12. KEEPING THIS IN MIND MAJOR CHANGES WERE MADE IN GOODS LOADING AND TRANSPORTING. GOODS BPC RULES FRAMED ACCORDINGLY , BALANCING THE SAFETY ASPECTS AND MOVING THE LOADS BY QUICKEST POSSIBLE MEANS. • STUDYING THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF SOURCES OF TRAFFIC, FUTURE POTENTIALS, INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENTS , OTHER CONNECTED FACTORS DIFFERENT POLICY DECISIONS WERE TAKEN FROM TIME TO TIME. • ALL THE GOODSHED AT INTERMEDIATE STATIONS WERE CLOSED. • NOW RAILWAY ACCEPTS FULL RAKE LOADING OR A MINIMUM OF HALF RAKE LOADING. • PEACEMEAL LOADING IS RESTRICTED.

13. GOODS BPC – GENERAL • WITH DEVELOPED SYSTEM OF AIR BRAKE WAGONS THE MECHANICAL DEPARTMENT SHOULD CERTIFY THE WAGONS / TRAINS TO ANY FAR AWAY DESTINATION OVER INDIAN RAILWAY ON ONE EXAMINATION. • AIR BRAKE STOCK ON INTENSIVE EXAMINATION SHOULD BE CERTIFIED FOR 4500 Kms RUN. • BASED ON THE TRAFFIC REQUIRMENTS ON ONE HAND AND CONSIDERING THE SAFETY ON THE OTHER HAND BPC RULES FRAMED.

14. STANDARDS WERE LAID DOWN FOR INTENSIVE EXAMINATION OF GOODS TRAINS AT NOMINATED GOODS YARDS IN EACH DIVISION / ZONES. • STANDARDS FOR EXAMIONATION/ ATTENTION / TESTING / REQUIREMENT OF BASIC FACILITIES FOR ATTENTION ARE TO BE AVAILABLE IN NOMINATED YARDS • 40 MAN HOURS TIME GIVEN FOR THIS TASK. • THE WAGONS ARE TO BE THOROUGHLY EXAMINED AND ATTENDED IN ALL RESPECTS AND TESTED FOR BRAKE POWER AND TO BE CERTIFIED FOR 4500 Kms RUN.

15. DIFFERENT GOODS BPCs • INTENSIVE BPC – EXAMINATION OF WAGONS IN EMPTY CONDITION AND CERTIFYING THEM. • END TO END BPC – EXAMINATION OF LOADED WAGONS AND CERTIFYING THEM TO ITS DESTINATION ON ONE EXAMINATION. • CLOSED CIRCUIT RAKES – GOODS TRAINS OPERATED ON CLOSED CIRCUITS – COMMITED GOODS TRAFFIC.

16. INTENSIVE BPC • INTENSIVE BPC : AS PER THE POLICY DECISION AS FAR AS POSSIBLE THE WAGONS ARE TO BE OFFERED FOR TRAIN EXAMINATION IN EMPTY CONDITION. • THIS WILL AVOID – • DETENTION OF LOADS FOR EXAMINATION PURPOSE. • LOADED WAGONS MARKED SICK AND DETAINED AT YARDS DISTURBING THE RAKE INTEGRITY.

17. EVEN IF MORE TIME IS TAKEN FOR EXAMINATION / ATTENTION OR ANY WAGONS MARKED SICK WILL NOT AFFECT THE CUSTOMER DIRECTLY . • AFTER EXAMINING ONE FULL RAKE, BPC TO BE ISSUED, THEN OFER THE WAGONS FOR LOADING THEREBY LOADS MAY BE MOVED TO THEIR DESTINATION ANYWHERE IN THE INDIAN RAILWAY WITHOUT WAITING FOR ANY TRAIN EXAMINATION / ATTENTION.

18. PREMIUM BPC • Further development in Intensive BPC – Air Brake formations examined in Empty condition and certified for 4500 kms or 12 days duration up to which the rakes can be loaded / unloaded twice or thrice. • A grace period of 3 days is also given if the rake is in loaded condition on the way towards its destination. • Rake integrity should be maintained. For which individual wagons numbers list attached with BPC as Annexure A • Kilometers earned from the date of issue of BPC is also recorded in Annexure B of the BPC . • Correct setting of Load / Empty box is the responsibility of Traffic staff.

19. TO ENSURE SAFETY THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS ARE GIVEN IN BPC RULES • WHILE ISSUING THE BPC DESTINATION COLUMN TO BE LEFT BLANK. • WAGONS TO BE LOADED WITH IN 4 DAYS OF THE DATE OF ISSUE OF BPC. • AS SOON AS THE WAGONS ARE LOADED, STATION MASTER OF THE LOADING STATION TO FILL UP THE DESTINATION COLUMN OF THE BPC CORRECTLY. • NO OVER WRITING / ALTERATIONS IN THE OTHER PARTICULARS OF BPC IS PERMITTED

20. SETTING OF LOAD / EMPTY BOX LEVER TO CORRECT POSITION LIES WITH STAFF OF TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT. • STABLING OF THE RAKE ENROUTE MORE THAN THE STIPULATED PERIOD IS NOT PERMITTED. • THE INTEGRITY OF THE RAKE SHOULD BE MAINTAINED. • WHENEVER STABLED ENROUTE BPC TO BE HANDEDOVER TO STATION MASTER BY LOCO PILOT. • WHILE CLEARING THE STOCK THE TRAIN SHOULD BY JOINTLY CHECKED BY GUARD AND LOCO PILOT – GDR CHECK. – CONTINUITY CHECK.

21. CLEARING OF STOCK WITH GDR CHECK • EVEN IF VALID BPC IS AVAILABLE FOR A TRAIN AT ENROUTE THE GDR SHOULD CHECK THE FORMATION AND ENSURE MINIMUM SAFETY REQUIREMENTS OF THE TRAIN AND THEN ADVISE SM BY WRITTEN MEMO. • ON GETTING THE MEMO, SM SHOULD HANDOVER THE BPC TO LOCO PILOT, START THE TRAIN AND CLEAR THE STOCK.

22. IMPORTANT POINTS TO BE CHECKED BY GDR • CONTINUITY AND MINIMUM REQIIRED AIR PRESSURE / VACUUM LEVEL. • CORRECT CONNECTION OF VAC/AIR PIPE AND ITS FITTINGS, LEVEL OF VAC/AIR PRESSURE. • CONDITION OF COUPLINGS AND ITS LOCKING ETC. • ANY BREAKAGE / DISLOCATION OF COMPONENTS. • ANY HANGING PART OF WAGON COMPONENTS INFRINGING THE FREE MOVEMENT OF AXLE AND WHEEL. • CORRECT SETTING OF LOAD/EMPTY BOX HANDLE.

23. LIMITATIONS • ON GDR CHECK IF ANY SICK WAGON IS NOTICED IT SHOULD BE DETACHED FOR ATTENTION . • IF THEY ARE NOT SATISFIED OF THE IMPORTANT SAFETY CONDITIONS, THAT HAS TO BE ADVISED TO SM AND CONTROL IN DETAIL AND ACT ACCORDING TO THE GUIDANCE OF CONTROL.

24. CONTUNUITY TEST IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUITY TEST IN AIR BRAKE SYSTEM

25. VACUUM BRAKE SYSTEM • In vacuum brake system availability of vacuum at rear B.V. itself is enough to say that the brake system of the whole train from T.E. to last is connected through hence there is no valve / cock arrangement in the Train pipe.

26. In case of Air Brake system it is not so. There are possibilities for the presence of compressed air inside the Brake pipe or Feed pipe even if there is no loco motive available on the formation. Hence to ensure Brake continuity more attention is required. A very simple and common test is to be followed by GDR before starting train to ensure brake continuity.

27. AIR BRAKE SYSTEM • IN A B S ALL THE ANGLE COCKS FROM TE TO LAST B.V TO BE KEPT IN OPEN CONDITION TO HAVE BRAKE FOR ALL COACHES / WAGONS IN THE TRAIN. • THERE ARE POSSIBILITIES OF WRONG CONECTION OF PIPES IN SERVICE, (i.e) • FP OF LOCO CONNECTED TO BP OF WAGONS IN CASE OF GOODS S.P.ABS. • FP AND BP INTERCHANGED AT ANGLE COCK LEVEL THERE BY CONECTING BP TO FP AND FP TO BP BETWEEN LOCO AND COACH.

28. AREA OF CHECK • AIM OF CONTINUITY TEST IS TO ENSURE ALL THE BRAKE PIPE ANGLE COCKS FROM LOCOMOTIVE TILL LAST WAGON ARE IN OPEN CONDITION. • APART FROM THIS TO DETECT WRONG CONNECTION OF BP / FP. • A VERY SIMPLE TEST IS TO BE CONDUCTED BY BOTH LOCO PILOTS AND GUARDS AT THE STARTING POINTS AND WHEREEVER LOCO CHANGED OR ANY SHUNTING PERFORMED IN THE TRAIN

29. THIS CAN OTHERWISE TERMED AS TO ENSURE BRAKE CYLINDER APPLYING BRAKE WHEN DRIVER ACTUATED BRAKING DULY REDUCING BP PRESSURE FROM LOCOMOTIVE AND RELEASING OF BRAKES WHEN ACTUATED FROM LOCOMOTIVE. • GUARD TO CHECK BRAKE CYLINDER APPLYING BRAKE AND RELEASING FOR FEW WAGONS / COACHES FROM REAR PART. • ASSISTANT LOCO PILOT TO CHECK FEW IN FRONT PORTION OF THE TRAIN. • BY THIS SIMPLE TEST ALL THE ABOVE MANUAL FAILURES CAN BE DETECTED.

30. THANK YOU!