brakemen
Freight car crew
Brakemen is the plural of brakeman, a railroad worker responsible for operating brakes on train cars.
Before automatic braking systems, brakemen moved along the tops of freight cars to manually set brakes—dangerous work that claimed many lives.
The term persists in modern railroading for crew members who assist with coupling cars, switching tracks, and other yard operations.
Crew shelter, train's end
- locomotiveRailway pulling machine
- boxcarEnclosed rail freight carrier
- flatcarSideless railroad freight carrier
- gondolaSuspended transport cabin
tanker · reefer · intermodal · railyard · junction · derailment · coupling · handbrake
Stationary vehicle lock
- couplingJoint between systems
- lanternEnclosed portable light
- signalsConveyed indications
- derailmentLeaving the intended track
hazard · vigilance · caution · protocols · inspection · regulation · compliance · accidents
One who directs musicians
- switchmanRail junction operator
- yardmasterTrain depot manager
- firemanEmergency blaze responder
- engineerTechnical design professional
signalman · trackman · carman · dispatcher · railroader · hostler · wiper · flagman
Device linking two things
- airbrakePressure-driven stopping device
- handbrakeStationary vehicle lock
- linkageConnected system of parts
- inspectionFormal assessment of condition
repair · servicing · lubrication · toolbox · wrench · equipment · workshop · boilermaker
caboose
Crew shelter, train's end
- locomotiveRailway pulling machine
- boxcarEnclosed rail freight carrier
- flatcarSideless railroad freight carrier
gondola · tanker · reefer · intermodal · railyard · junction · derailment · coupling · handbrake · airbrake
handbrake
Stationary vehicle lock
derailment · hazard · vigilance · caution · protocols · inspection · regulation · compliance · accidents · injuries
conductor
One who directs musicians
- switchmanRail junction operator
- yardmasterTrain depot manager
- firemanEmergency blaze responder
engineer · signalman · trackman · carman · dispatcher · railroader · hostler · wiper · flagman · trainman
coupler
Device linking two things
- airbrakePressure-driven stopping device
- handbrakeStationary vehicle lock
- linkageConnected system of parts
inspection · repair · servicing · lubrication · toolbox · wrench · equipment · workshop · boilermaker · welder
- railroadstrains, train, tracks, track, locomotive
- Railroad Historyrailroad barons, railroad workers, rail workers, conductors, firemen
- railroad jobsconductors, engineers, firemen, switchmen, yardmasters
- sled sportsbobsled, luge, skeleton, bobsledding, tobogganing
- rail yardsswitchyard, marshalling yards, receiving yard, yard crew, yardmaster
- railwaystrains, train, locomotives, locomotive, tracks
brakemenengineers
Technical problem solvers
engine drivers · conductors · motormen · stationmasters · firemen