Aidan Stanger wrote:

It's typical in North America to "power brake". In power braking, the
throttle is left in notch two or three, the independent brake in full
release while the train is brought to a stand with the train brake
working against the throttle. Is this not possible in the UK?

Not with the stuff I drive. Why would you do that?
Nev

To Keep the slack stretched. Remember, even North American passenger
trains
have slack. An inch or so in every coupling between each car.


What's the point in having slack if you keep it stretched?

Because if there was no slack there would be nothing too stretch!!


Surely being able to stretch it could not possibly be the reason for
having it?

If the train driver (uh, "engineer") weren't powering against the
brakes he would be in danger of being hauled before the House
un-American Affairs Committee on charges of using less than the
the minimum mandated patriotic daily fossil fuel quota.