▁a ▁bra k eman ▁would ▁be ▁responsible ▁for ▁no ▁more ▁than ▁two ▁cars . ▁B rak emen ▁were ▁also ▁required ▁to ▁watch ▁the ▁train ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁under way ▁to ▁look ▁for ▁signs ▁of ▁hot ▁boxes ▁( a ▁dangerous ▁over he ating ▁of ▁ax le ▁bear ings ) ▁or ▁other ▁damage ▁to ▁rolling ▁stock , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁for ▁people ▁trying ▁to ▁ride ▁the ▁train ▁for ▁free ▁and ▁cargo ▁sh ifting ▁or ▁falling ▁off . ▁ ▁A ▁bra k eman ' s ▁job ▁was ▁histor ically ▁very ▁dangerous ▁with ▁numerous ▁reports ▁of ▁bra k emen ▁falling ▁from ▁trains , ▁coll iding ▁with ▁lines ide ▁structures ▁or ▁being ▁run ▁over ▁or ▁cr ushed ▁by ▁rolling ▁stock . ▁As ▁rail ▁transport ▁technology ▁has ▁improved , ▁a ▁bra k eman ' s ▁duties ▁have ▁been ▁reduced ▁and ▁alter ed ▁to ▁match ▁the ▁updated ▁technology , ▁and ▁the ▁bra k eman ' s ▁job ▁has ▁become ▁much ▁sa fer ▁than ▁it ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁days ▁of ▁rail ro ading . ▁ ▁Ind ivid ually ▁operated ▁car ▁bra kes ▁were ▁replaced ▁by ▁rem ot ely - oper ated ▁air ▁bra kes , ▁elimin ating ▁the ▁need ▁for ▁the ▁bra k eman ▁to ▁walk ▁at op ▁a ▁moving ▁train ▁to ▁set ▁the ▁bra kes . ▁ ▁Link ▁and ▁pin ▁cou pl ings ▁were ▁replaced ▁with ▁automatic ▁cou pl ings , ▁and ▁hand ▁signals ▁are ▁now ▁supp lement ed ▁by ▁two - way ▁radio ▁communication . ▁ ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁ 2 4 ,