A vehicle brake system is provided that includes (or is formed from) a back plate configured to support a composite pad, at least one conditioning insert coupled to the back plate and configured to contact a surface of a wheel during a braking event and thereby to condition at least a portion of the surface of the wheel, and fins coupled with the at least one conditioning insert and configured to conduct heat generated by contact of the at least one conditioning insert with the at least the portion of the surface of the wheel away from the at least one conditioning insert.

A friction device for a vehicle having a flanged wheel (with a wheel flange and wheel tread) includes a backing plate and a friction structure. The backing plate may interface with a brake actuator of the vehicle. The friction structure is attached to the backing plate and comprises a friction material; the friction structure has a longitudinal flange side, a longitudinal rim side, and two opposing ends, and defines a brake surface for engaging the flanged wheel for braking. The friction structure includes an extended volume portion of the friction material on the longitudinal flange side, which defines a flange contact region of the brake surface. The flange contact region may at least partially engage the flange and to align the friction device with the wheel tread, e.g., the flange contact region may be complementary in shape to at least part of the flange.

A method and a system of a friction device for a wheel may include a backing plate and a friction material disposed on the backing plate to form a brake surface to engage a surface of the wheel. The friction material extends between a first end and a second end along a central longitudinal axis, and between a rim side and a flange side. A void is disposed within the friction material and extends from the brake surface a distance into the friction material. The void forms an opening of the brake surface of the friction material.

A vehicle spring type brake shoe key for connecting a brake shoe to a brake head, wherein the brake shoe key includes a body or shank and a head integrally formed with the body or shank, and wherein the key has a reduced mass head, an alternative configuration head, a surface treatment, or two or more of these modifications that reduces the likelihood that the head will weaken and/or break off the body of the brake shoe key,

A railroad car spring type brake shoe key for connecting a brake shoe to a brake head, wherein the brake shoe key includes a body or shank and a head integrally formed with the body or shank, and wherein the key has a reduced mass head, an alternative configuration head, a surface treatment, or two or more of these modifications that reduces the likelihood that the head will weaken and/or break off the body of the brake shoe key.

An apparatus includes a frame, a braking material and a guide material. The frame includes a braking portion and a guide portion. The braking portion extends generally circumferentially around a surface of a wheel. The guide portion is coupled to the braking portion. A first part of the guide portion extends from the braking portion proximate to a first end of the braking portion over a portion of the wheel. The braking material is coupled to the braking portion of the frame. The braking material provides frictional force opposing rotational movement of a wheel when a force is applied between the braking material and the wheel. The guide material is couple to the guide portion of the frame. The guide material is coupled to the guide portion of the frame.

A railroad car spring type brake shoe key for connecting a brake shoe to a brake head, wherein the brake shoe key includes a body or shank and a head integrally formed with the body or shank, and wherein the key has a reduced mass head, an alternative configuration head, a surface treatment, or two or more of these modifications that reduces the likelihood that the head will weaken and/or break off the body of the brake shoe key.

A method and a system of a friction device for a wheel may include a backing plate and a friction material disposed on the backing plate to form a brake surface to engage a surface of the wheel. The friction material extends between a first end and a second end along a central longitudinal axis, and between a rim side and a flange side. A void is disposed within the friction material and extends from the brake surface a distance into the friction material. The void forms an opening of the brake surface of the friction material.

A friction shoe for a railway car truck is provided. The railway truck comprises two parallel sideframes, a suspension spring assembly supported by the sideframes, and a bolster transversely mounted between the sideframes and supported by the suspension spring assembly. Each sideframe has at least one vertical support face, and the bolster has at least one sloped support face. The friction shoe comprises a bottom base engaging and supported by a suspension control spring, a sloped face engaging the sloped wall of the bolster. The friction shoe further includes a vertical face including a pocket, with a friction liner in the pocket. The friction liner engaging the vertical column of the sideframe. The friction shoe friction liner comprised of a material providing a damping force of between 700 and 16,250 pounds and a normal force of between 2000 and 12,000 pounds.

A friction device for a vehicle having a flanged wheel (with a wheel flange and wheel tread) includes a backing plate and a friction structure. The backing plate may interface with a brake actuator of the vehicle. The friction structure is attached to the backing plate and comprises a friction material; the friction structure has a longitudinal flange side, a longitudinal rim side, and two opposing ends, and defines a brake surface for engaging the flanged wheel for braking. The friction structure includes an extended volume portion of the friction material on the longitudinal flange side, which defines a flange contact region of the brake surface. The flange contact region may at least partially engage the flange and to align the friction device with the wheel tread, e.g., the flange contact region may be complementary in shape to at least part of the flange.