The Bossier banner., 1891-10-29
LIFE OF A BRAKEMAN.
It Is Much Pleasanter Now Than
in Former Days.
dit Brakes anaiAutomatfc COaIp1ers Have
Lightened His Task-The Pay Nearly
Double What 1t Was q
Few Years Ago.

In few branches of manual labor has
modern invention done SO much to
tighten the burden that fails on the
human muscles as in the applica-
ton of the air-brake system to railroad
cars 1t is only some twenty years
since the air brake was first introduced,
and in that period all 81 the hard, disa-
greeable labor that fell to the lot of the
passenger brakeman has been done
away with, while the task of the freight
brakeman has been greatly hghtened.
In the olden times, before the Miller
leeupser and buffer and thesair brake
were introduced, the lotpofa brakeman
on passenger train was anything but
ahappy one. ~ sfr I .IE .cFl
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-fashioned platforms and coup
ing apparatus in; casev Of a collision
telescoping was certain to occur, and
the poor brake twister was invariably
.Eound sinte fragments betweena the
ends Of the cars as they crushed to-
gsther. t.
~ was necessary, too, for him TO
Know the road" thoroughly That is,
ae must know all the grades and
bridges and each point where it was
necessary to slacken the speed OF the
nam and he must put on his brake
and letit off again exactly at the proper
moment without waiting for the signal
'iFom'the locomotive ->s ~
The slightest inat@ntion to duty was
oOund to insure a very bad five-min-
~ a'es interview with theengineer at the
'saa OF The run, andifrepeated toobfteIl,
WIN the superintendent, or ''old man."
y ne Is called in railroad parlance.
approaching each station there were
daamarks which must be learned, and
oeiore passing which the brakes must
aO' oe touched. The thorough brake
slli slan scorned to make a slow stop, but
g, g.lsaeed IN manipulating the wheel SO
Ia' the train came to q quick halt ex-
sSay IN the same spot every time.
took muscle to do this: and manv
eeFew had trained themselves to act in
a.n concert that they could Invariably
us thelr train to halt in very little
a aore space than is now required with
lhe air brakes.
:. 'nen air brakes were first introduced
ey "ere' OF course, not so perfect as
s are now. An attempt was made
,oaS is1oee t,sa the old broad gauge Erie rail-
ss ssau Inns was during Jim Fisk's Iife) to
opsthe system. A train was equipped,
= o,a Win 1t was sent crew which ran
- ope OF the express. trains.
nroN ssna tnags were set.up, and the
snol ngmoeers of this air brake plan were
.Owed several trials to show lust
go; ~ quickly they could stopT a train
At full speed. After they had
s;a ae 1heir best the new brakes were
naO nsOuneeted, and the crew of brake
tbsi, S ,,sI, were giEsRra. chance to display
hsin e result was that they stopped the
tbsa b.llh every instance in less distanoe
eoau. ,u was used blythe air brakes. As a
ainos9 ai9uenee the old system was re-
nv ~ Ier years and until after MANY
sir siOsements ss, had been made in the
.sT4As~aI 80 rHE "a 70
nan e V1e passenger bralsenen was b
If ~, muscle, the continual twisting
the s b; Producing a,deyelopment of
oieepS that miDhf hi vas beap on.
Win 6 many "a 2 modern ''pugR Armed
tAonaLIo, ~ oeher weapon but lantern, he
dosn sn' nothing of standing off" half
toasbs ~ ramps or engaging a gang of
IT, shat sought to run things. y q
ma rs ! .tssf swas bralSngg onsa train
p0n time when adispute arose