eli5 Why do trains with steel wheels have traction on steel rails, but if your brakes on your car are used up and become steel on steel they dont work anymore?
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Railroader here… steel on steel has very little traction. Locomotives have “sanders” that can throw sand onto the rail to help get the traction to start if necessary. And to piggy back off what others said, when a train needs to stop asap, they are basically sliding steel on steel for 1 to 2 miles, so not what you want your car brakes to do. Great question!
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