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Explanation: Sorry Nancy, I couldn't find a term that seemed to be 'it'. On the other hand, 'dépréparation' is a genuine term, seemingly narrowly related to trains. The driver is said to 'dépréparer' the train or put it into a state of 'dépréparation', and when he does so these additional brakes (very strong ones) come into play. One of the texts I looked at said that there was a 'dépréparation' button he could press. I got the impression it was a 'state' that the train was put into, say when it is in the station, or when it is not in service for a short while, to make it completely immobile, or to make sure it doesn't move about when passengers are boarding. A rough equivalent would be 'in a state of unreadiness', or 'unready'. One of the texts also referred to 'circuit de préparation' and said that the train could be put into 'dépréparation' either by the driver, or if this circuit was short-circuited.
Sorry, none of this is really of much help to you. What you need is the precise English equivalent.
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Nancy, I emailed NKW (a ProZ friend of mine and a bit of an expert on trains) and he suggested that \'disposal\' is the term you are searching for.
I will quote from his reply:
\"Touching briefly on railway terminology, I believe that the term you are seeking is \'disposal\', where the driver secures the unit, applies the mechanical parking brake and isolates the external and battery power supplies. Sometimes this is carried out at dedicated Carriage Sidings, sometimes in stations, where units are stabled overnight or during long intervals during the day. I am not sure about the automatic brakes (these are usually electrically- or electropneumatically operated systems .. but the electrical supply is isolated and the compressors are switched out of use. The reservoirs hold sufficient pressure to keep the brakes applied on air-braked stock, whilst the mechanical brake at either end immobilises the unit whilst it is in the carriage sidings/stabled at the platform.
As for the circuit that activates the braking system in the train, both locomotives and multiple-units in France are fitted with an emergency braking system which enables the driver to cut the traction supply and to make an emergency brake application by pressing a red plunger, often situated close to the power/braking controller or on the right hand side of the driving desk. This applies both to SNCF and RATP stock. I believe that newer UK mainline/suburban traction units and LUL underground stock is similarly equipped.
What you describe is more akin to temporary immobilisation of the train, possibly where there is a fault on the permanent way or in the signalling system that requires the train to remain where it is for a considerable period.\"
I have googled for this term myself and it does seem to come up a lot in a \'couplet\' with \'preparation\', e.g. \'Train preparation and disposal\', as if the two were opposites.
Hope this helps. If this term turns out to be the right one, then by rights points should go to NKW....
There are thousands more words to this document so I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. ;-)
Charlotte, you deserve the points because you took time out to ask him for me. Thank you so much, how thoughtful! Hope I can return the favour one day.
I also thank everyone contributing to my on-going series. I don't want to be tiresome, but when a particular term escapes me, I like to turn to my proZian friends :-)
Well, I may be old fashioned in this respect, when when I park my car, I include putting the handbrake on and turning the ignition off as part of the "parking procedure"!
The translation workplace 
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