The original Brakestick was made of hickory and it was boasted that it could not be broken ! Primary use of Hickory brakestick was for the old "Vertical Handbrakes i.e Staff Brakes. . The best Railroad movie i have ever seen is "The emperor of the north " Starring Ernest Boginine R.I.P , also Lee Marvin as the cagey "Hobo Great movie. And also shows use of brakeclub although Ernest tool of choice was a sledge hammer "OUCH" Though attrition the old hickory brakeclub faded away as technology improved. After 5 decades passed, the need for a brake tool resurfaced. F.R.A data demonstrates that almost 40% of railroad injuries are caused due to employees ascending and/or descending railroad equipment.
Railroads are experimenting with freight car 'Brake Tool's ' Employee feedback has been mixed ? One thing all railroaders agree on is not having to ascend and/or descend equipment. Other than that, complaints very. There to cumbersome, heavy, hard to use, and if you do not have one assigned to you ? You have to find where they have them stored. From what i have read railroads are getting pretty adamant about usage. Some railroads even have mandatory use of braketool. Currently are several tools on the market operation of them all, are similar. There is one new Brake tool that is pretty unique and operation of tool is significantly different. Please give feedback / discussion on current brake tools, and what experience you have had with there use. Boomer1956
Which one are you selling?
Go to www.brakeclub.com This tool operates differently ...Boeomer
Are you getting any traction with the railroads? Seems to me you'd do well approaching the safety and mechanical staff at the frt RRs.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
The UP is using a brake stick from RR Tools and Solutions.
http://rrtools.com/miscProducts/BrakeStick.asp (Note UP part numbers.)
Trainmen can have one issued to them, but then must always use it. They are also being placed in yard assist crew vans and mounted in holders in yards or at locations where trains might be tied down.
I haven't, and being in engine service can't imagine I'll use one, but I did have to watch the training video on how to use them.
Jeff
1st - that guy in that brakeclub video put on a girl scout brake. He needs to eat some Wheaties.
2nd- can that little stick reach to a handbrake on the other side of the car? And what about brakes that are a kind of set inside the slope of a hopper?
Portability looks nice, but I've seen plenty of the big, heavy duty brakesticks get bent and beat from hard use (yard service). I wonder how these little ones would hold up.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
Lots of info and pretty pictures of this device, but what does it do??? and how does it work???
I had no idea that these things cost that much like 400.00? and the workers just leave them around the yard. I think that they are worth 20.00 in scrap alone.
jeffhergert The UP is using a brake stick from RR Tools and Solutions. I haven't, and being in engine service can't imagine I'll use one, but I did have to watch the training video on how to use them. Jeff
Looking at the two links, one thing that struck me about the video was the necessity to go into the gauge to use the club, whereas the brake sticks, from their length, seem to make that unnecessary.
The Tomahawk Big STIK® illustration at the top of the linked page maybe answered a nagging question in my mind concerning hump operations, that is to say, how to easily and safely make sure both knuckles are opened. (I'm guessing that the cut lever on the car heading into the bowl is used to release the car, then a stick is used with cut lever actuation on the car that will be the next entry into the bowl. Maybe Carl could chime in on this if my guess is not right.)
ChuckCobleigh jeffhergert The UP is using a brake stick from RR Tools and Solutions. I haven't, and being in engine service can't imagine I'll use one, but I did have to watch the training video on how to use them. Jeff Looking at the two links, one thing that struck me about the video was the necessity to go into the gauge to use the club, whereas the brake sticks, from their length, seem to make that unnecessary. The Tomahawk Big STIK® illustration at the top of the linked page maybe answered a nagging question in my mind concerning hump operations, that is to say, how to easily and safely make sure both knuckles are opened. (I'm guessing that the cut lever on the car heading into the bowl is used to release the car, then a stick is used with cut lever actuation on the car that will be the next entry into the bowl. Maybe Carl could chime in on this if my guess is not right.)
In 'normal' humping operations only one knuckle is open - the one operated by the Yard conductor making the cuts as the cars are shoved over the hump. The knuckle on the 'other' car is closed and stays closed. A car or cut leaving the hump will have the knuckle on one end open and on the other end closed. This will happen to ALL cars that are switched over the hump. The Yard Conductor always remains on the same side of the cuts during all humping operations. After humping operations are completed. Trim crews (other yard crews) will enter the tracks from the non-hump end and make sure all couplings are secure. If necessary to open a knuckle during this operation, the Tomahawk Big Stik (or it's relatives) could be used to open the knuckle without the brakeman getting in the foul of the coupling.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACD In 'normal' humping operations only one knuckle is open - the one operated by the Yard conductor making the cuts as the cars are shoved over the hump.
In 'normal' humping operations only one knuckle is open - the one operated by the Yard conductor making the cuts as the cars are shoved over the hump.
Thanks, Balt, that makes perfect sense. A little enlightenment is always welcomed.
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