1. A railroad worker responsible for operating or maintaining the brakes on a train.
Usage: chiefly historical or occupational; now less common due to automation

Examples

• The brakeman signaled the engineer to slow the train as it approached the station.
• In the early 1900s, a brakeman's job was one of the most dangerous positions on the railroad.
• The experienced brakeman knew exactly how much pressure to apply to stop the freight cars smoothly.
• Young men often started their railroad careers as brakemen before advancing to other positions.
• The brakeman walked along the top of the cars to manually engage the brakes.