E186 Traxx breaks applied and can't be released after stopping (hidden pressure?)

[NeatKefe]

On the Traxx loco, I've sometimes find myself in the following situation:

1. Stopped at a red signal
2. Train breaks applied. I start releasing the breaks, expecting departure.
3. Applies local breaks
4. Get green signal. Releases local breaks. Service break in driving position. All dials in the train shows no break pressure is applied, and cylinder is full at 5 bars. 
5. Applies power. Nothing happens. Loco still thinks breaks are applied. 

The only way I've found to get out of this is to activate bot. When then taking the train back the dials all of a sudden actually show a bit of breaks are applied, pressure that I seemingly could not get rid of before tricking the loco with the bot.

This has always felt like a bug to me, but haven't seen anyone else mention it, so I'm starting to think that maybe I'm doing something wrong. I know it can take a long time for the breaks to fully disengage. But then... is there some way to tell when I should be able to apply power, if I can't trust the break pipe pressure? 

Edited September 27 by NeatKefe

[k.fornal24]

During longer stop, sometimes the spring break engages. Why? I have no freaking idea.

[Alex]

Yup. Spring brake it's the culprit here 

[NeatKefe]

1 hour ago, Alex said:

Yup. Spring brake it's the culprit here 

Interesting. Is there a known rule for when the spring break would be automatically applied? 

[mateusz424]

W dniu 28.09.2026 o 00:54, NeatKefe napisał(a):

(...) 4. Get green signal. Releases local breaks (...)

Do you use a brake release valve (little lever switch on the pulpit)?

[NeatKefe]

3 hours ago, mateusz424 said:

Do you use a brake release valve (little lever switch on the pulpit)?

Generally no, although I have tried to used that to release these ghost breaks, with no success. 

[longmun_]

Brakes.

Quote

 and cylinder is full at 5 bars.

Main pipe is at 5, cylinder pressure should be at zero. You probably only wrote cylinder by accident, though.
When the spring brake has applied, you'll know immediately as this hamulec postojowy message will appear on the left screen!

Also, I'd assume a lot of new players can be caught out by the traction lock. I know I was, when it was dark and I couldn't see the handles properly. Are you sure you're pulling the drive and brake handle to the 0 position, before trying to apply power again?  

 

Edited Tuesday at 10:23 AM by longmun_

[Mr Murphy]

Traxx E186 sounds ... hmm ... it's latest time to start to fix cab sounds.