Brakeman Collection

Frederick Batt, brakeman, on the C & NW RR, at Proviso yard, Chicago, Ill. 1942. Creator: Jack Delano
Frederick Batt, brakeman, on the C & NW RR [i.e. Chicago and North Western railroad], at Proviso yard, Chicago, Ill

A train (or "cut") being pushed out of a receiving... Proviso yard, C & NW RR. Chicago, Ill
A train (or " cut" ) being pushed out of a receiving yard toward the hump. A brakeman rides each train to signal the engineer in the locomotive at the rear; Proviso yard, C & NW RR

Brakeman on the Challenger, Nevada, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Brakeman on the Challenger. Nevada

Our Artist in America, a Look round New York in the Snow (engraving)
1626739 Our Artist in America, a Look round New York in the Snow (engraving) by Wright, Henry Charles Seppings (1850-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Our Artist in America)

Freight train brakemen in a blizzard
Railroad brakemen working atop boxcars in a snowstorm, 1890s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

RAILROAD WORKERS, 1943. Conductor James M. Johnson and brakeman Jack Torbet of Waynoka, Oklahoma having lunch in the caboose on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad line

RAILROAD: BRAKEMAN, 1877. Brakeman on a freight train. Wood engraving, American, 1877

Danger ahead for a steam locomotive
Flagger warning a railroad crew to brake for danger ahead on the tracks. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

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Brakemen: Unseen Heroes of the Railroad, 1939-1943 From the snowy yards of Chicago's Proviso on the C & NW RR, to the arid landscapes of Nevada's Challenger, brakemen played a crucial role in the safe operation of freight trains. In this era, Frederick Batt and Jack Delano captured their daily lives through their poignant photography. Brakemen were responsible for applying and releasing the brakes, securing cargo, and communicating with the train conductor. Their unwavering focus and quick reflexes ensured the safe delivery of goods across vast distances. As Jack Torbet and James M. Johnson demonstrated in 1943, the job was not without danger. The engraving "RAILROAD WORKERS" from 1877 illustrates the importance of their role, while Dorothea Lange's images of brakemen in action reveal their dedication and resilience. Brakemen's stories remain an essential part of railroad history, as they braved the elements and worked tirelessly to keep the trains moving.