Ayuda con mi traducción
Estoy tratando de traducir esté párrafo al español, pero tengo algunos problemas con algunas frases como: "The brakes wouldnt hold." y "Nothing doing, I saw I would just have to ride it out." Gracias.
“About dusk on the fifth day, we reached the top of Cajon Pass west of Barstow, California. Before retiring to the sleeping compartment, Dave had warned me against this thirty-five-mile stretch of mountainous downgrade. I failed to register when the sign for the Cajon Pass appeared. Soon, however, I realized my error. The brakes wouldnt hold. Now running in third gear, I tried desperately to get into a lower speed. Nothing doing, I saw I would just have to ride it out. I suddenly saw something moving across the road ahead. I realized with new alarm that a freight train was cutting across our path. As we raced inexorably toward the crossing and doom, the trains caboose loomed out of the darkness. Its red lights cleared the highway just as we reached the tracks. We had escaped certain death by inches.”
"Al atardecer del quinto día, llegamos a la parte superior del paso de El Cajon, al oeste de Barstow, California. Antes de retirarse al compartimento para dormir, Dave me había advertido de esta bajada montañosa de treinta y cinco millas. No me percaté de cuando apareció la señal del paso de El Cajon. Sin embargo, pronto me di cuenta de mi error. Los frenos no bastarían. Ahora, avanzando en tercera, traté desesperadamente de pasar a una velocidad inferior. Imposible Todo fue en vano, vi que no tenía más opción que seguir conduciendo hasta salir de allí. De repente vi a lo lejos algo que atravesaba el camino. Descubrí con alarma que un tren de carga estaba cruzando el camino. Mientras nos dirigíamos inexorablemente hacia el cruce y el desastre, el furgón de cola del tren salió de la oscuridad. Las luces rojas del furgón de cola terminaron de pasar la carretera justo en el momento en que llegamos a las vías. Nos habíamos escapado de una muerte segura por un pelo."
5 Answers
Mind you, neither Spanish nor English is my native language but what about 'Todo en vano' for 'Nothing doing'. I am not sure about it, though.
“About dusk on the fifth day, we reached the top of Cajon Pass west of Barstow, California. Before retiring to the sleeping compartment, Dave had warned me against this thirty-five-mile stretch of mountainous downgrade. I missed the sign for the Cajon Pass . Soon, however, I realized my error. The brakes wouldnt hold. Now driving in third gear, I tried desperately to slow down. As this was impossible, I saw I would just have to ride it out. I suddenly saw something moving across the road ahead. I realized alarmed that a freight train was cutting across our path. As we raced inexorably toward the crossing and doom, the trains caboose loomed out of the darkness. Its red lights cleared the highway just as we reached the tracks. We had escaped certain death by inches.”
Esos cambios los haría yo, vamos a ver lo que dicen los de habla inglesa 
It might be easier to translate if you worded some of the English a different way.
I failed to register when the sign for the Cajon Pass appeared. His warning failed to register with me until after the sign for Cajon Pass had appeared and it was too late.
The brakes wouldnt hold. No funcionó el freno.
I saw I would just have to ride it out. I was helpless to do anything but hope for the best
Bump 
Sorry I don't have time to do the whole thing but for 'the brakes wouldn't hold' how about - 'los frenos no se sostendría'. Nothing doing - no funcionó or no pasó nada? I saw that I would just have to ride it out - 'pude ver que me tendría que aguantar' (aguantarse - resign yourself).
You'll probably get better suggestions from a native but I thought I'd have a crack in the meantime All the best!
