Long-duration shock testing machine

A shock testing machine comprising:

• a test platform for holding an item to be shock tested;
• a carriage for carrying the test platform, the carriage being movable in a testing direction;
• one or more rails movably supporting one or both of the test platform and the carriage;
• a stop configured to stop the carriage from moving in the testing direction at a predetermined location;
• and
• a brake configured to decelerate the carriage after the carriage engages the stop;
• wherein the brake comprises:
• a braking member disposed separately from the carriage and offset from the carriage in a braking direction opposite to the testing direction, the braking member having braking material separated by at least one gap, the carriage being configured to expose the braking member to the stop when the carriage moves past the stop in the testing direction;
• at least one elongated member extending from the carriage in the braking direction opposite to the testing direction, the at least one elongated member extending through the at least one gap in the braking member such that a braking pressure is applied from the braking material to the at least one elongated member to decelerate the carriage when a first braking surface of the braking member engages a second braking surface of the stop.