retaining valve

noun

A device that retains some air pressure in a train's air brake cylinders even when the automatic brake valve is set to the fully-released position, used on steep downgrades to allow a degree of continuous braking effort to be maintained without depleting the pressure in the train's brakepipe (which would result in the loss of nearly all braking ability, causing a runaway).

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retainer
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Meanings

nounretaining valve (plural retaining valves)

plural retaining valves

  1. engineeringA device that retains some air pressure in a train's air brake cylinders even when the automatic brake valve is set to the fully-released position, used on steep downgrades to allow a degree of continuous braking effort to be maintained without depleting the pressure in the train's brakepipe (which would result in the loss of nearly all braking ability, causing a runaway).

    Synonyms: retainer

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA device that retains some air pressure in a train's air brake cylinders even when the automatic brake valve is set to the fully-released position, used on steep downgrades to allow a degree of continuous braking effort to be maintained without depleting the pressure in the train's brakepipe (which would result in the loss of nearly all braking ability, causing a runaway).

Similar
retainer
Cite this entry
APA

retaining valve. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/retaining%20valve

MLA

“retaining valve.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/retaining%20valve. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “retaining valve,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/retaining%20valve.

Source: retaining valve on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.