The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1891-10-13
LIFE OF A
1t Is Much Pleasanter Now Than
In Former Days.
Air Brakes and Automatic Couplors Have
LJghtened Ills Ta,k-The Pay Nearly
Double What 1t Was q
Few Years Ago.

Se" hears ago.
In few branches of manual labor has
modern invention done SO much to
tighten the burden that falls 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 the hard, disa-
grceable 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 l%ightened.
In the olden times, before the Miller
coupler and buffer and the air brake
were introduced, the lot Of a brakeman
on a passenger train was anything but
n happy ono.
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 n death warrant. for with
the old-fashioncd platforms and coup
ling apparatus in case of a 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 lett off again exactly at the proper
moment without waiting for the signal
from the locomotive.
The slightest inattention to duty was
bound to insure n very bad ivc-min-
utcs' interview with the engineer ut the
end OF the run, and If repeated too often,
with the superintendent, or 'old man."
rs he is called in railroad parlance.
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 n slow stop, but
delighted in manipulating the wheel SO
that the train came to n quick halt OK
actly in the same spot every time.
1t took muscle to do this, and many
n 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 mir brakes.
When air brakes were first introduced
they were, of course, not SO perfect as
they are now. An attempt was made
to induce the old broad gauge Erie rail
road (this was during Jim Fisk's lifc) to
adopt the system. A train was equipped,
and with it was sent u 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 n train
going ut full speed. After they had
done their best the new brakes wcrI
disconnected, and the crew of brake.
men were given q chance to display
their skill.
Tho result was that they stopped the
train III every instance in less distance
han was used by the mir brakes. AS a
consequence the old system was re-
tanned for years and until after many
improvements had been made in tho
air brakes.
The old passenger brakemen was a
man Of muscle, the continual twisting
OF brakes producing n development Of
the biceps that might have been en-
We'd by many a modern pug Armed
with no other weapon but n lantern, he
thought nothing Of standing off" half
a dozen tramps or engaging n gang OF
ronghs hat sought to run things"
The writer was braking on a train
once upon Il time when adispute arose
in which a rough made an effort
to draw Il 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 n swing dashed full INTO his
face.
The pistol-drawer foil as if shot. and
n or two blows in addition stretched
him srnsrlcss on tho floor. His com
panions came to the rescue, another
brakeman happened in, and for n few
minutes there was n 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 off h train, and flirting with the
pretty girl passengers.
Ills 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 cll-faahioncd brakeman. He gets
better pay. too, than the old-timc brake
twiat'r>. Forty dollars to fifty dollars
n month used to be the stipend for
which men tool their lives in. their
hands daily on many of the large
eastern roads, but in California the paw
is nearly twice this, and the risk and
labor arc lcsscncd to Il minimum.
1t is the freight brakeman, however,
who appreciates to the fullest the ben
Gifts which follow the gradual. intro
duction of the mir 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 q portion OF
the year.
II there is anything that will try q
mans nerve it is to hear the sharp
whistle for brakes on some p%itch-dark
rainy or snowy night. Out from tho
warm caboosc the brakeman hurries,
lantern in hand, and climbs to the
deck OF the nearest car. The wind is
blowing n gale, the running board is
covered with ice. 1t is impossible to
walk, SD down on all fours he goes and
crawls along rs best he may. A gust