Runaway Trucks

Nope, they wouldn't have.

First and only time I came close to hitting a runaway ramp, WB 70 lower Vail. Container load of copy paper, IIRC, I was 81,400 gross. Got pulled in at the Downieville port for a level 1. Inspector noted that all 4 chassis brakes were at minimum adjustment, while he didn't tell me to adjust them, it was noted. Called the office, they said to run it anyhow, the railroad wouldn't touch it. Ok, I ran it. Took my sweet time, but coming off Vail it was simply too much, by the mid point I had smoke rolling off every brake on that truck, finally got it stopped and the short level stretch, as soon as I hit the shoulder, I popped both brake buttons, truck kept on rolling, never slowed. I pushed the buttons back in, finally got it stopped. Pulled the buttons back out, took my foot off the pedal, truck started to roll. Put my foot back on the pedal and released both buttons. Sat there like that for 20 minutes before the brakes cooled enough that I could pop both buttons and they would hold. Even still I sat with my foot hovering over the pedal for another 10 minutes.

I view this as triple fault, the railroad maintenance for not properly adjusting the brakes. DOT for not putting me OOS until they were adjusted, and me for not trying to adjust them.

 

Lmao
If he had only thought to put it in reverse he could have drove forward away from the dock lol

 

Most of my career has been in the dirt.
Dirt eats adjusters for dinner.

 

I have legit only seen a handful of failed auto slack adjusters. Grease every 5 days of operation sure makes everything last nearly forever. Hardly ever wear out kingpins or u-joints either.

 

Every 5 days isn’t a way to measure maintenance period. Hours or miles should be the unit of measurement. Just saying

 

Whats it matter? Every weekend it got the grease. Truck only ever worked Monday to Friday. Rest of the maintenance was done by hours.

 

You didn’t state you were talking about a specific truck.
What if the truck goes 600 miles a day for 5 or 100 miles for 2 days and then 50 mikes for 3 days?
“Grease every 5 days sure makes everything last nearly forever”. Sounds to be like a rule of thumb for everyone

 

On modern trucks built in the last thirty years it has to be driver error. It's a pretty fail proof system as far as mechanical failures go with spring brakes. There should never be a time when you heat your brakes enough to fade. That is driver error. Doesn't matter if they are out of adjustment. Everyone trailer I have pulled out of adjustment I knew within five minutes of pulling it and I didn't go frolicking down steep grades expecting it to stop me.
Only thing brakes should be used for going down hill is stopping. Not slowing down.