Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1892-06-17
VOLUME VIII.
A BltAKEMAN'S PERILS.
His Life Is Ono Of Danger and
Discomfort
Yet He Is a Happy, Care-Free Individual,
who Does Not Seem to Heed Pcrils
and Hardships-His Cnenvia-
BILE Lot,

TernapS hundreds OF people nave no.
ticed the swinging ropes dependent
from the supports crossing the tracks,
which are used to warn the brakemen
on top of the cars that a bridge is lit
tie further on, and give them a chance
to duck their heads out of danger.
Of all those who have seen these and
considered the idea good one how
many have given thought to the dan
ger, the pleasure and the changing in
cidents of typical railroad mans life?
by the typical man is not meant the
one whose urbane presence adorns the
business Offices of the company, or the
one with whom you come in contact
when in city station, or in looking
after the shipping onyour baggage, but
the man who runs On the road" is the
type that is in every sense railroad
man.
On most railroads the freight train
men-enginecrs, conductors, brakemen
and firemen-are the most numerous
and prominent class, as the number of
freight trains is much larger than that
OF passenger trains.
Among this great throng the brake
men form the majority, as there are
two or more on every train, while there
is but one of the other classes. AS the
ranks of the passenger train service
are usually recruited from the freight
train men, it follows that the freight
brakeman stamps his individuality on
all the circles through which he moves
as promotion carries him forward.
A brakeman has his wits sharpened
by peculiar experiences, and though he
may not possess any intellectual train
ing worthy of the name, still his contact
with the world in the calling he has
chosen tends to develop qualities that
are elevating to the individual if he
chooses to make them so.
With no intercourse with the public,
they still learn very quickly what is
the right thing in the right place, and
a promoted brakeman does not need
much training to enable him to bear
himself with grace in his dealings with
lady passengers and irascible old gen.
tlemen.
The brakeman proper is slangy in
dividual, but his slang is so expressive
that the correct mode OF expression is
entirely forgotten in the new and APP
propriate lore. For instance, to him a
gravel train is a dust express" and the
pump for COMPRISING air for the power
brake becomes wind TANNER" in his
vernacular.
The t6sagreeable features of a freight
brakeman's life are principally those
dependent upon the weather. A man
would have but little cause for COM
plant if in winter he could perform
his duties in southern California and in
summer ride through the picturesque
northern sections of this side of the con-
inent
He would, however, even if permit
ted his choice in this direction, have
to encounter that noble army of tramps
that abound north, south, east and
west, and which in many cases proves
a positive danger. In the milder eli
mates these gentlemen of leisure will
persist in riding in or on the cars, and it
is the trainman's duty to act according
to instructions and keep them off.
This Is no easy matter when a gang
armed with pistols takes possession of
the train and dictates where they shall
be carried, One or two specimens
armed with heavy sticks are quite
enough to tackle, and it is matter of
NJ
suading them that their room is pre-
ferred to their company.
The hardships of cold and stormy
weather are most serious, both because
of the test of endurance involved and
the extra difficulty in handling the
train.
The Westinghouse automatic air
brake, though in use on all passenger
trains, is only used on certain lines for
freight trains, as it was necessary to
adapt and cheaper it in order to make
it available on long trains of freight
cars.
BralSing by hand is still the rule, and
unless ascending grade or going very
slowly the brakeman must be in his
place on top of the car, for rs a rule
there are not more than four men on
one train, and each must be at his post
as they dash down grade, or with high
speed tear across some level stretch
ready at moment to apply the brakes
on the great mass of from five hundred
to one thousand tons that must be made
to come under their control
In descending steep grades only the
most constant and slillful care prevents
the train from rushing at brcaknecl
speed to the foot of the incline or to d
curve where it would be precipitated
over an embahxment aud crushed tc
pieces. 1t requires wonderful nicely
IF Judgment, this braking by hand, fol
before all the cars have crossed the
summit the forward part of the trair
has gained in velocity and will thus by
it's weight exert terrific pull on those
cars still crawling up the hill.
II one of the couplings chances to bC
weak It breaks, and in many cases away
rushes the engine and the forward
portion, while the center, left without
brakeman, comes tearing down tn,
grade, dragging the rear ears with it
The engineer then has the choice o
slackening up and allowing the unman
aGeable cars to collide violently will
his portion, or to increase speed anC
run the risk of overtalling train aheaC
of him.
To avoid this breaking in two tn,
brakeman must be wide-awake and Sc,
that the brakes are frightened befor,
the speed even begins TO elude control
Imagine when this has all been don,
that it is discovered that some of tn,
brakes have been set too tightly TIL,
s~;,,;op bo,4s Tho ,,.baols anI tbo hr, l.,