A braking system for a rail vehicle (100) has a brake actuator (120) that receives a brake command (cmd.sub.B) and produces an electric brake-force signal (BF) commanding a brake action. A brake unit (200) receives the electric brake-force signal (BF) and causes an electric motor (230) to act on a gear assembly causing first and second pressing members (211) to move towards or away from a rotatable member (110) mechanically linked to at least one wheel (105) of the rail vehicle (100) to execute the brake action with respect to the rotatable member (110). If a deicing criterion (DI) is fulfilled, the brake actuator (120) is configured to produce the electric brake-force signal (BF) in such a way that the brake action involves moving the first and second pressing members (211; 212) away from the rotatable member (110) so as to remove any ice and/or snow on the brake unit (200).

A braking system for a rail vehicle (100) has a brake actuator (120) that receives a brake command (cmd.sub.B) and produces an electric brake-force signal (BF) commanding a brake action. A brake unit (200) receives the electric brake-force signal (BF) and causes an electric motor (230) to act on a gear assembly causing first and second pressing members (211) to move towards or away from a rotatable member (110) mechanically linked to at least one wheel (105) of the rail vehicle (100) to execute the brake action with respect to the rotatable member (110). If a deicing criterion (DI) is fulfilled, the brake actuator (120) is configured to produce the electric brake-force signal (BF) in such a way that the brake action involves moving the first and second pressing members (211; 212) away from the rotatable member (110) so as to remove any ice and/or snow on the brake unit (200).

An electromechanical brake (EMB) system is provided. The EMB system includes: an actuator assembly including an electric motor configured to generate torque for moving a brake pad assembly to apply or release a brake and a driven pulley configured to transmit the torque generated from the electric motor; a parking brake assembly including a parking pawl configured to engage against the driven pulley in a parking brake applied state of a vehicle and a pawl actuator configured to move the parking pawl to engage against the driven pulley; and an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to heat up the parking brake assembly in response to obtaining a parking brake apply request under one or more below freezing ambient temperature conditions.