Question on UP Challenger 3985

[Anonymous]

Was flipping through one of my books and saw a picture of UP Challenger 3985. On the engineer's side, right in front of the rear trailing truck of the locomotive, there's a couple of handwheels sticking out. They are set about ground height for an adult. At first I thought that they might be handbrakes, but why have two of them? Then I began to wonder.... where are the handbrakes (if any) on most steam engines?

Given the latest controversial threads, thought I'd just throw in a simple question.

Erik

[Anonymous]

Well i belive they are gone now when they converted her to oil
they were used to open the grates and drop the fire when she was coal
I have one video of them doing it in Cheyenne, you can see the hostler ( not Lynn or Steve) spinning the hand wheels then you see some stuff drop
ash and left over coal.

[Anonymous]

That makes sense! Thanks!

Erik