Detecting a stuck brake

Out of NY Penn this afternoon, on the last car of eight Comets behind an ALP46. Toward the west end of the tunnel I noticed the familiar smell of braking, though we weren't slowing; as we rounded the curve west of the tunnel someone comes on the PA "Attention to the crew on train whatever-it-was, there's a stuck brake on the fourth car." We stopped on the Bergen crossovers but were under way again after maybe three minutes, and the ALP46 had us on time by the time I left the train.

So who spoke on the PA? Is there a stuck-brake light in the ALP46 cab, or was it a trainman? Can the engineer speak on the PA? He didn't mean a hand brake, did he? Would they have to cut out the brakes on that car?

Any crew member or supervisor could have used the PA system. There is no "stuck brake" indicator anywhere on any NJT equipment. Yes, the engineer can use the PA, if it is working, which is a rare occurance.

Finally, they would NOT have cut out the brakes in the affected car, unless it was the only way to move the train. Then you can bet, there would have been an extended delay at the next station. I would doubt it was an applied handbrake in the fourth car (last car, maybe). Most likely it was a plain old stuck brake, which does happen. Rest assured, the crews do know how to handle this rather common problem.