In Germany, legislation that prohibits the use of classic cast-iron brake pads will come into effect on 13 December 2020. Only wagons fitted with composite brake blocks will be allowed to run on the German railway network. DB Cargo will therefore be converting 63,000 wagons by December, director Nanouke van ‘t Riet reports on LinkedIn.

Composite brake pads ensure that the steel wheel does not roughen when braking. Because the wheel remains smooth for longer, braking produces less noise. “In many cases, it leads to a reduction of the noise emission by ten decibels, which is experienced by the human ear as a halving,” says Van ‘t Riet.

“Because the vast majority of DB Cargo trains from the Netherlands cross the border with Germany, residents of towns and villages along the Dutch railway lines will immediately benefit from the ban on cast-iron brake blocks,” she expects.

Contractual agreements

To ensure that DB Cargo Nederland is ready for the new German law, it equips its entire fleet of vehicles with composite brake pads. Because not all 63,000 wagons used in trains belong to its own fleet, DB Cargo makes contractual agreements with its customers regarding the mandatory use of wagons fitted with composite brake blocks.