Stopping the 20th Century Limited in an emergency

In 1943 could a passenger do it ? And if so, how? In addition, would the unsuspecting passengers be thrown from their seats? Would brakes squeal? Would there be the smell of hot metal outside of the cars? I'm writing a story and need to overcome my inadequate knowledge. Any help would be appreciated.

Anybody within reach of the emergency cord could do it.

There would be a whoosh of air on the car where the brake was activated, and a bang on every car as the triple valve went into emergency.

Depending on conditions, decelleration rates and efects could vary. On slippery rails the wheels could lock and the train could slide at some speed for some distance, possibly emitting sparks frpm the wheels. On good rail the decelleration would be faster, but the brake shoes might get hot enough for an odor to be detected. In most cases, the train might take over a mile to stop, so the rate would not throw people from their seats. Standees may get jostled a bit, especially on the final stop. Nothing like the effect of a collision though.

I like the details you've given me. Such as the mile it would take to stop the train. But where would the emergency cord be? In each private compartment? At the ends of he passageway? Is it a chain? A white cord?

Locations vary but on a sleeper it would be a chain with a wooden ball on the end, in the corridor at one or both ends of the car. The valve would be above the headlining. Some cars had a rope or a Delta shaped handle. Depended on the builder.

The sound of the brake valves in an emergency application has accurately been described as a "sneeze". I don't think I'd agree to the "bang" sound, especially from inside the cars. Given the attempts at sound deadening and comfort, the sound of the emergency application from inside would probably not even be noticed by John Q. Public. A rail might pick up on it, but the average traveler would probably first notice the grind of the brake shoes or the deceleration once the train began to slow.

quietwriter wrote:I'm writing a story and need to overcome my inadequate knowledge. Any help would be appreciated.

Can you give us some context?

For a passenger to put a train in emergency would be extremely rare. I do not think it is appropriate to write about an
event like this. Why don't you write about something positive?
Noel Weaver

This isn't NYC but I was on Amtrak's Crescent one day and the train left Birmingham with passengers still on the platform and a visitor still in the sleeper (this was in 10-6 days). Those of us on the platformed hurried to get on the train. The sleeping car attendant advised the visitor that he could stop the train by pulling the emergency brake cord and the passenger did. The train went into emergency and Southern employees poured out of adjacent buildings to see what was going on. The visitor got off the train and hurried away. Never knew what the upshot of the incident was. We built up the air and then proceded north to Atlanta.

Sounds like that episode of "I Love Lucy" where she keeps pulling the cord on the UP streamliner...

Or that scene in "North By Northwest" where the Century makes an unscheduled, if not an emergency, stop to let the cops on board who are looking for Thornton (Cary Grant).

Regarding Noel Weaver's comment above, you would certainly need to think through what would happen after the train came to a stop. Lots of official people would be checking up on who pulled the cord and why (especially on the 20th Century!). Pulling of the emergency cord by an unauthorized person can carry some serious penalties as far as I know, and it should not be assumed that the person who pulled the cord would be permitted to continue his journey uninterrupted. Maybe there are some passenger conductors reading this thread who could amplify what would actually happen in such a case.

ExCon90