There are three methods of applying electric braking.
They are:
Dead weight:
The total weight of locomotive and train to be pulled by the locomotive is known as dead weight
Adhesive weight:
The total weight to be carried on the driving wheels is known as the adhesive weight.
The effective force necessary to propel the train at the wheels of the locomotive to which the motor is geared is called the tractive effort. It is measured in newtons and is tangential to the driving wheels.
Total tractive effort required to run a train on tract = Tractive effort to produce acceleration + Tractive effort to overcome effort of gravity + Tractive effort to overcome train resistance.
Systems employed for motion control are called as drives and drives employ any of the prime movers such as diesel or petrol engines, gas or steam turbines, hydraulic motors and electric motors for supplying mathematical energy for motion control. Drives employing electric motion is called as electrical drives.