Keywords: train brake system, wheel slide protection, train sanding system, low adhesion.

The Low Adhesion Braking Dynamic Optimisation for Rolling Stock (LABRADOR) project was a good step towards developing a valid train brake system model to be used to assess the train performance in various adhesion conditions. The LABRADOR model has previously been validated in dry conditions. However, for LABRADOR to become a trusted industry tool then it must be seen to provide accurate predictions of the behaviours of real, contemporary trains that are braking in genuinely low adhesion conditions. Test data from trains braking in low adhesion conditions is rare, but the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) “T1107 Sander Trial” project has carried out an extensive series of tests in order to measure the brake performance benefits of different sander configurations. Based on the diversity of the data and the number of measured variables in each individual test, the data forms a useful resource for LABRADOR improvement and validation. This paper presents LABRADOR validation process under low adhesion conditions. The sander trial data has been used to develop sanding and cleaning (conditioning) effect models that have been integrated within LABRADOR model. The upgraded LABRADOR model then has been tested and simulated under various low adhesion scenarios that represent the experimental tests. The results shows that the model outputs match the experimental data with a good degree of accuracy.

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