▁the ▁ ▁driver , ▁made ▁this ▁role ▁redundant , ▁although ▁the ▁name ▁lives ▁on ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁where ▁bra k emen ▁carry ▁out ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁functions ▁both ▁on ▁the ▁track ▁and ▁within ▁trains . ▁ ▁By ▁country ▁ ▁USA ▁▁ ▁In ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁the ▁bra k eman ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁a ▁rail road ▁train ' s ▁crew ▁responsible ▁for ▁assist ing ▁with ▁bra king ▁a ▁train ▁when ▁the ▁conduct or ▁wanted ▁the ▁train ▁to ▁slow ▁down ▁or ▁stop . ▁ ▁A ▁bra k eman ' s ▁duties ▁also ▁included ▁ens uring ▁that ▁the ▁cou pl ings ▁between ▁cars ▁were ▁properly ▁set , ▁l ining ▁switch es , ▁and ▁signal ing ▁to ▁the ▁train ▁operators ▁while ▁performing ▁switching ▁operations . ▁The ▁bra k emen ▁rode ▁in ▁the ▁cab o ose , ▁the ▁last ▁car ▁in ▁the ▁train , ▁which ▁was ▁built ▁spe cially ▁to ▁allow ▁a ▁crew ▁member ▁to ▁apply ▁the ▁bra kes ▁of ▁the ▁cab o ose ▁quickly ▁and ▁easily , ▁which ▁would ▁help ▁to ▁slow ▁the ▁train . ▁ ▁In ▁rare ▁cases , ▁such ▁as ▁desc ending ▁a ▁long , ▁ste ep ▁grade , ▁bra k emen ▁might ▁be ▁assigned ▁to ▁several ▁cars ▁and ▁be ▁required ▁to ▁operate ▁the ▁bra kes ▁from ▁at op ▁the ▁train ▁while ▁the ▁train ▁was ▁moving . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century , ▁some ▁local ▁U . S . ▁labor ▁laws ▁noted ▁that ▁enough ▁bra k emen ▁would ▁be ▁staff ed ▁on ▁every ▁train ▁such ▁that