Railway Brake Systems Framework, Requirements, and Solutions

This book offers a timely introduction to railway brake systems. It introduces operational aspects as well as a set of rail vehicle specific requirements, such as wheel-rail contact and rail vehicle dynamics. It discusses the process of brake control, in particular for automatic pneumatic brake system and brake systems for multiple units. In turn, the book gives insights into braking force generation, covering both friction brake systems and regenerative brakes. It also describes performance calculations, discussing concepts for brake systems design. Despite the focus is mainly on European braking systems, the book identifies key and general aspects, thus offering an inspiring reading for researchers and professionals that are active both inside and outside of Europe.

Introduction, Historical Development And Regulations.- Types, Structure And Properties Of Railway Vehicles.- Wheel-Rail Contact.

Raphael Pfaff is Professor of Rail Vehicle Engineering at the FH Aachen University of Applied Science. He also serves as a chair of Rail Vehicles at RWTH Aachen University since February 2025.  After an apprenticeship as cabinet maker, he studied Mechatronics, Mathematics and Control Engineering in Bochum, Hagen and Coventry, respectively. He gained his master’s degree in control engineering in 2006, and joined Siemens as a system engineer in that year. In parallel, he was  pursuing his PhD studies in part-time at Coventry University . In 2008, Raphael Pfaff moved to Faiveley Transport, a railway company, which is now part of Wabtec. There, he started working as a brake system engineer e.g. for the Vectron locomotive and the new German high speed train ICE4. In 2014 he applied for a professorship role in rail vehicle engineering at the FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences, where he is currently responsible for the undergraduate course in rail vehicle engineering. His research interests cover:  digitalization, modeling and simulation, prognostics and health management  of rail vehicles, as well as the development of self-driving capabilities for railway shunting.