218:, the last car in the train, which was built specially to allow a crew member to apply the brakes of the caboose quickly and easily, which would help to slow the train. In rare cases, such as descending a long, steep grade, brakemen might be assigned to several cars and be required to operate the brakes from atop the train while the train was moving. By the start of the 20th century, some local U.S. labor laws noted that enough brakemen would be staffed on every train such that a brakeman would be responsible for no more than two cars. Brakemen were also required to watch the train when it was underway to look for signs of
45:
128:
195:
270:, require a brakeman to ride with the train around the track to slow it down at certain points on the layout, particularly bends; as the trains are not mechanically held onto the track. The brakeman is responsible for slowing the train down when necessary and stopping it in the station at the end of the ride. There are only a few examples of such rides now left in existence; the Scenic Railway at
250:
crews consisting of conductor, engineer, and brakeman usually employ the brakeman in throwing hand-operated track switches to line up for switching moves and assisting in cuts and hitches as cars are dropped off and picked up. A brakeman is sometimes seen as an assistant to the conductor in a train's
181:
if a coupler broke. As rail lines extended, the guard would apply brakes on downhill gradients. With longer trains, the job included notifying the driver (by waving a lamp) that the back of the train had started moving along with the rest of the train, or stopped with the rest of the train. As trains
254:
In North
American passenger service, the brakeman (called trainman or assistant conductor) collects revenue, may operate door "through switches" for specific platforming needs, makes announcements, and operates trainline door open and close controls when required to assist the conductor. A passenger
237:
As of 2012, 24,380 "railroad brake, signal, and switch operators" jobs were staffed in the U.S., with 93% of them employed in the rail transport industry with much of the remainder employed by supporting companies. By 2018, the total number had dropped to 14,270, with the highest employment rates in
233:
Today the brakeman job is also commonly known as the assistant conductor, helper, or the 3rd man. They assist the conductor in their duties. On some railroads, the brakeman drives a company pickup truck, allowing them to drive ahead of the train to line switches, or scout industries and how the cars
225:
A brakeman's job was historically very dangerous with numerous reports of brakemen falling from trains, colliding with lineside structures or being run over or crushed by rolling stock. As rail transport technology has improved, a brakeman's duties have been reduced and altered to match the updated
185:
In 1968, with the prevalence of diesel and electric trains where the guard could ride in the rear cab of the locomotive, as well as the rising prelevance of fully braked trains that did not require a separate vehicle for braking, the legal requirement for brake vans was eliminated.
114:, brakes on every wagon which could be controlled by the driver, made this role redundant, although the name lives on, for example, in the United States where brakemen carry out a variety of functions both on the track and within trains.
255:
service trainman is often required to qualify as a conductor after 1 to 2 years experience. The rear end trainman signals to the conductor when all the train's doors are safely closed, then boards and closes his/her door.
230:, eliminating the need for the brakeman to walk atop a moving train to set the brakes. Link and pin couplings were replaced with automatic couplings, and hand signals are now supplemented by two-way radio communication.
226:
technology, and the brakeman's job has become much safer than it was in the early days of railroading. Individually operated car brakes were replaced by remotely-operated
222:(a dangerous overheating of axle bearings) or other damage to rolling stock, as well as for people trying to ride the train for free and cargo shifting or falling off.
206:
wanted the train to slow down or stop. A brakeman's duties also included providing flag protection from following trains if the train were to stop, ensuring that the
279:
198:
During the early days of railroading, one of the most deadly jobs in
America was that of brakeman, who worked from the top of moving trains in all weather
146:. It was a dangerous and uncomfortable role, especially in winter when it was not uncommon for brakemen to freeze to death in the unheated cabins.
182:
were sometimes required to run in reverse, the guard was further tasked with ensuring the tail lamp shone white instead of red in these cases.
50:
507:
Hearings Before the
Committee on Interstate Commerce, United States Senate, in relation to Safety Couplers and Power-Brakes on Freight-Cars
202:
In the United States, the brakeman was a member of a railroad train's crew responsible for assisting with braking a train when the
299:
283:
267:
628:
422:
General and
Special Rules for Employees of the New Bedford and Taunton, Fairhaven Branch and Taunton Branch Rail Roads
110:
worker whose original job was to assist the braking of a train by applying brakes on individual wagons. The advent of
44:
492:... an alert brakeman ... spotted our roost. He saw to it that we had a stop-over at the next halt of the train
436:
214:, and signaling to the train operators while performing switching operations. The brakemen rode in the
271:
345:
572:"Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2016: 53-4021 Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators"
139:
127:
528:
487:
142:
on several or even all wagons in a train and would operate the wagon brakes when signaled by the
505:
458:
420:
404:
203:
150:
132:
111:
171:
In the UK, "brakeman" was an alternative term for the position more often referred to as the
546:
227:
207:
173:
94:
403:
New York
Central Lines, Michigan Central Railroad Co. (April 1, 1906). "Freight Brakemen".
211:
510:. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. 1890. p. 6 – via Google Books.
481:
522:
469:(4). Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway: 52. May 1913 – via Google Books.
194:
263:
107:
77:
597:
622:
143:
425:. Taunton: C.A. Hack & Son. 1872. pp. 10 and 107 – via Google Books.
154:
17:
571:
409:. Detroit: W.S. Gilkey Printing Co. pp. 114–116 – via Google Books.
320:
58:
54:
437:"Labor Laws of the United States, With Decisions of Courts Relating Thereto"
275:
247:
178:
166:
31:
370:
219:
215:
406:
Rules for the
Government of the Conducting Transportation Department
486:(sixth ed.). Erie, PA: The A-No.1 Publishing Company. p.
193:
126:
386:
At the Museum, we consider the term
Brakeman to be gender-neutral
149:
The function was abolished in the 1920s with the introduction of
447:. Washington, D.C.: 873 April 10, 1914 – via Google Books.
578:. United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
287:
177:, originally tasked with stopping the train from the
88:
83:
71:
66:
238:Texas, Illinois, Georgia, Missouri, and New York.
398:
396:
394:
53:brakeman atop a train that has paused at Cajon,
441:Bulletin of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
8:
37:
153:, which could be controlled by the engine
312:
210:between cars were properly set, lining
302:, also known as the "Singing Brakeman"
57:, to cool its brakes after descending
36:
504:"The Terrible Record for One Month".
30:For the brakeman in bobsledding, see
7:
483:From Coast to Coast with Jack London
351:. Nevada State Railroad Museum. 2010
131:Brakeman's cab (left) on a Prussian
290:, are two of the largest examples.
576:Occupational Employment Statistics
138:In Germany, the brakemen occupied
25:
527:. Detroit: F.J. Krueger. p.
375:Pacific Southwest Railway Museum
43:
531:– via Internet Archive.
521:Krueger, Frederick J. (1910).
490:– via Internet Archive.
266:, particularly in the form of
246:In North America, freight and
1:
480:Livingston, Leon Ray (1917).
284:Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach
268:side friction roller coasters
645:
547:"Railroad Brakeman Salary"
371:"Learn to Be the Brakeman"
164:
29:
42:
598:"Definition of Brakeman"
199:
135:
524:Freight car equipment
346:"Brakeman's Handbook"
197:
130:
27:Rail transport worker
272:Luna Park, Melbourne
629:Railway occupations
39:
325:American-Rails.com
200:
136:
463:Employes Magazine
140:brakeman's cabins
133:compartment coach
100:
99:
51:Santa Fe Railroad
18:Railroad brakeman
16:(Redirected from
636:
613:
612:
610:
608:
594:
588:
587:
585:
583:
568:
562:
561:
559:
557:
542:
536:
535:
518:
512:
511:
501:
495:
494:
477:
471:
470:
455:
449:
448:
433:
427:
426:
417:
411:
410:
400:
389:
388:
383:
381:
367:
361:
360:
358:
356:
350:
342:
336:
335:
333:
331:
317:
73:Activity sectors
47:
40:
21:
644:
643:
639:
638:
637:
635:
634:
633:
619:
618:
617:
616:
606:
604:
602:Merriam-Webster
596:
595:
591:
581:
579:
570:
569:
565:
555:
553:
545:Farnen, Karen.
544:
543:
539:
520:
519:
515:
503:
502:
498:
479:
478:
474:
459:"Roll of Honor"
457:
456:
452:
435:
434:
430:
419:
418:
414:
402:
401:
392:
379:
377:
369:
368:
364:
354:
352:
348:
344:
343:
339:
329:
327:
319:
318:
314:
309:
296:
264:Scenic railways
261:
259:Scenic railways
244:
192:
169:
163:
125:
120:
91:
74:
62:
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
642:
640:
632:
631:
621:
620:
615:
614:
589:
563:
537:
513:
496:
472:
450:
428:
412:
390:
362:
337:
321:"The Brakeman"
311:
310:
308:
305:
304:
303:
300:Jimmie Rodgers
295:
292:
280:Roller Coaster
260:
257:
243:
240:
234:are located.
191:
188:
165:Main article:
162:
161:United Kingdom
159:
124:
121:
119:
116:
112:through brakes
108:rail transport
98:
97:
92:
89:
86:
85:
81:
80:
78:rail transport
75:
72:
69:
68:
64:
63:
61:in March 1943.
48:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
641:
630:
627:
626:
624:
603:
599:
593:
590:
577:
573:
567:
564:
552:
548:
541:
538:
534:
530:
526:
525:
517:
514:
509:
508:
500:
497:
493:
489:
485:
484:
476:
473:
468:
464:
460:
454:
451:
446:
442:
438:
432:
429:
424:
423:
416:
413:
408:
407:
399:
397:
395:
391:
387:
376:
372:
366:
363:
347:
341:
338:
326:
322:
316:
313:
306:
301:
298:
297:
293:
291:
289:
285:
281:
277:
273:
269:
265:
258:
256:
252:
249:
241:
239:
235:
231:
229:
223:
221:
217:
213:
209:
205:
196:
190:United States
189:
187:
183:
180:
176:
175:
168:
160:
158:
156:
152:
147:
145:
144:engine driver
141:
134:
129:
122:
117:
115:
113:
109:
105:
96:
93:
87:
82:
79:
76:
70:
65:
60:
56:
52:
46:
41:
33:
19:
605:. Retrieved
601:
592:
580:. Retrieved
575:
566:
554:. Retrieved
550:
540:
532:
523:
516:
506:
499:
491:
482:
475:
466:
462:
453:
444:
440:
431:
421:
415:
405:
385:
378:. Retrieved
374:
365:
353:. Retrieved
340:
328:. Retrieved
324:
315:
262:
253:
251:operations.
245:
242:Duties today
236:
232:
224:
201:
184:
172:
170:
148:
137:
103:
101:
90:Related jobs
84:Description
307:References
278:, and the
228:air brakes
151:air brakes
118:By country
67:Occupation
59:Cajon Pass
55:California
533:brakeman.
276:Australia
220:hot boxes
208:couplings
179:brake van
167:Brake van
95:conductor
32:Bobsleigh
623:Category
607:April 5,
582:April 5,
556:April 5,
380:April 5,
355:April 5,
330:April 5,
294:See also
212:switches
204:engineer
104:brakeman
38:Brakeman
216:caboose
123:Germany
155:driver
551:Chron
349:(PDF)
174:guard
106:is a
609:2017
584:2017
558:2017
382:2017
357:2017
332:2017
248:yard
445:148
282:at
625::
600:.
574:.
549:.
529:73
488:33
465:.
461:.
443:.
439:.
393:^
384:.
373:.
323:.
288:UK
286:,
274:,
157:.
102:A
49:A
611:.
586:.
560:.
467:1
359:.
334:.
34:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
