Emergency brake switches are used to trigger emergency braking by the passenger, and are standard equipment on rail vehicles. By pulling the handle a spring is released, which activates the switch and locks the handle. The design and the coloring ensure easy visual recognition as well as safe and intuitive operation in the case of an emergency. In order to prevent abuse, the retaining screws are only accessible when the switch has been activated. The emergency brake switch has the same interface as previous Vossloh Kiepe versions and is thus easily installed in existing vehicles.