ine . ▁ ▁Germany ▁▁ ▁In ▁Germany , ▁the ▁bra k emen ▁occupied ▁bra k eman ' s ▁cab ins ▁on ▁several ▁or ▁even ▁all ▁w ag ons ▁in ▁a ▁train ▁and ▁would ▁operate ▁the ▁w agon ▁bra kes ▁when ▁sign aled ▁by ▁the ▁engine ▁driver . ▁It ▁was ▁a ▁dangerous ▁and ▁un com fort able ▁role , ▁especially ▁in ▁winter ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁un common ▁for ▁bra k emen ▁to ▁free ze ▁to ▁death ▁in ▁the ▁un he ated ▁cab ins . ▁ ▁The ▁function ▁was ▁abol ished ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁with ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁air ▁bra kes , ▁which ▁could ▁be ▁controlled ▁by ▁the ▁engine ▁driver . ▁ ▁D ut ies ▁today ▁ ▁Fre ight ▁and ▁yard ▁cre ws ▁consisting ▁of ▁conduct or , ▁engineer , ▁and ▁bra k eman ▁usually ▁employ ▁the ▁bra k eman ▁in ▁throwing ▁hand - oper ated ▁track ▁switch es ▁to ▁line ▁up ▁for ▁switching ▁moves ▁and ▁assist ing ▁in ▁cut s ▁and ▁h itch es ▁as ▁cars ▁are ▁dropped ▁off ▁and ▁picked ▁up . ▁A ▁bra k eman ▁is ▁sometimes ▁seen ▁as ▁an ▁assistant ▁to ▁the ▁conduct or ▁in ▁a ▁train ' s ▁operations . ▁ ▁In ▁passenger ▁service , ▁the ▁bra k eman ▁( called ▁train man ▁or ▁assistant ▁conduct or ) ▁collect s ▁re venue , ▁may ▁operate ▁door ▁" through ▁switch es " ▁for ▁specific ▁platform ing ▁needs , ▁makes ▁announ c ements , ▁and ▁oper ates ▁train line ▁door ▁open ▁and ▁close ▁controls ▁when ▁required