The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-10-15
LIFE OF A BRAKEMAN.
1t Is Much Pleasanter Now Than
In Former Days.
Air Brakes and Automatic Couplers Have
Lightenod Ills Task--Tho Pay Nearly
Double What 1t Was .
Few Years Ago.

Row Years Ago.
In few branches Of manual labor has
modern invention done SO much to
Tighten the burden that falls on the
human muscles Us in the applica-
ton OF the air-braltc system to railroad
cars. 1t is only some twenty years
since the air brake was first introduced.
and in that period all the hard, disa-
groeable labor that fell to the lot Of tho
passenger brakeman has been done
away with, while the task of the freight
brakeman has been greatly lightened.
In the olden times, before the Miller
coupler and buffer and the air brake
were introduced, the lot Of brakeman
on passenger train was anything but
happy one.
His duties required that he remain on
the platform for the greater portion of
the time, and this was in many a case
equivalent to death warrant, for with
the old-faShioncd platforms and coup-
ling apparatus in case of n collision
telcscoping was certain to occur, and
the poor brake twistcr was invariably
ground into fragments between the
ends OF the cars as they crushed to.
gcthcr.
1t was necessary, too, for him to
"know the road thoroughly. That is,
he must know all the grades and
bridges and each point where it was
necessary to slackcn the speed OF the
train, and he must put on his brake
and let it off again exactly at the proper
moment without waiting for the signal
from the locomotive.
The slightest inattention to duty was
bound to insure a very bad fivc-min-
utcS' interview with the engineer at the
end OF the run, and If repeated too often,
with the superintendent, or "Old man."
as he is called in railroad parlancc
Approaching each station there were
landmarks which must be learned, and
before passing which the brakes must
not be touched. The thorough brake
man Scorncd to make q slow stop, but
delighted in manipulating the wheel so
that the train came to quick halt cX
actly in the same spot every time.
1t took muscle to do this, and many
a crew had trained themselves to act in
such concert that they could invariably
bring their train to u halt in very little
more space than is now required with
the air brakes.
When air brakes were first introduced
they were, OF course, not so perfect as
they arc now. An attempt was made
to induce the old broad gauge Erie rail
road (this was during Jim Fisll's lifc) to
adopt the system. train was equipped,
and with it was sent n crew which ran
on one of the express trains.
Signal flags were set up, and the
promoters Of this air brake plan were
allowed several trials to show Just
how quickly they could stop a train
going at full speed. After they had
done their best the new brakes were
disconnected, and the crew OF brake
men were given IL chance to display
their skill
The result was that they stopped the
train in every instance in less distance
than was used by the air brakes. As a
consequence the old system was re-
tanned for years and until after many
improvements had been made in the
air brakes
The old passenger brakemcn was q
man of muscle, the continual twisting
OF brakes producing n development OF
the biccps that might have been en-
We'd by many modern pug" Armed
with no other weapon but lantern, he
thought nothing of "standing off" half
a dozen tramps or engaging q gang OF
roughs that sought to run things"
The writer was bralIine on a train
once upon Il time when ndispute arose
in which q rough made an effort
to draw revolver Grasping the mans
hand with the pistol in it just as he was
drawing it from his pocket, with the
other hand the heavy lantern was raised
and with swing dashed full into his
face.
The pistnl-drawer fell rs il shot, and
one or tw" blows in addition stretched
him ScnSelcSS on the floor. His com.
panionS came to the rescue, another
brakeman happened in, and for n few
minutes there was u lively row. But
the lanterns got the best OF it and a
wholesome lesson was taught.
The brakeman of to-day, however, is
so only in name. Rarely does he touch
the brake wheel, but his duties are con-
fined to building fires, calling out the
names of stations, helping people on
and of the train, and flirting with tho
pretty girl passengers.
His nerves are not kept at the highest
tension, on the qui vivc for the short,
sharp whistle which commands him to
jump to the brake and exert himself to
the utmost
He looks after the valve that operates
the brake, but beyond that his duties
do not resemble in the least those of
the old-faShioncd brakeman. He gets
better pay. too than the old-time brake
tWlat&rS. Forty dollars to fifty dollars
month used to be the stipend for
which men took their lives in their
hands daily on many of the large
eastern roads, but in California the pay
is nearly twice this, and the risk and
labor arc lrsScncd to n minimum.
1t is the freight brakeman, however,
who appreciates to the fullest the ben
ctits which follow the gradual intro
duction of the air brake. The brake.
men on California railroads, however,
have far less to contend with than
those in the east, where wind and rain
and snow combine to make outdoor
life miserable for SO large portion of
the year.
II there is anything that will try a
mans nerve it is to hear the sharp