Advantages: 1. It is most reliable braking system. 2. Breaking actuation time is small as higher value of braking retardation is obtained. 3. Electrical braking is smooth & gradual. 4. Life of electrical braking system is more. 5. There is less wear & tear of brake shoes, break block etc. so there is less maintenance cost. 6. Higher speeds are possible even when train is going down the gradient, as breaking system is reliable. 7. Trains having heavy loads can be stopped even when train going up the gradient. 8. Higher speeds of train is possible as braking system is reliable so pay load capacity increases. 9. In case of electric regenerative braking we can utilize 60 to 80% of kinetic energy to generate electricity which is not possible with mechanical braking.
Disadvantages: 1. In addition to electrical braking there must be arrangement of mechanical braking for final stop. 2. Special arrangement of circuit and complication makes electrical braking system costly. 3. Operation in substation becomes complicated at the time of regenerative breaking when generated energy is surplus. 4. Initial cost is more due to other control equipments & circuitry.