Early boxcar hand brakes

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1
Hello;
I am detailing an early boxcar with brake gear and was wondering how the brake wheel staff was conected to the rod from the brake cylinder. I know there is a chain from the cylinder to a rod to another chain at the brake staff. This is seen in pictures and it looks like the chain is wound around the staff when the wheel is turned. Can this be right? Now I am talking about a car that has the brake wheel above the car (horizontal) to the car.

Bill
2

I can’t claim to be an expert, but I do have this picture of a Proto 2000 Mather box car:

Hopefully, others might be able to use this to help answer questions.

3

The chain on the old “stemwinder” hand brakes was wound directly on the shaft. Brakemen used to carry a brake club, which looked like a cross between a baseball bat and a pick handle. It was stuck in the brake wheel to get some leverage when applying the brake. Later hand brakes with a vertical shaft and horizontal wheel had a gear reduction at the bottom of the shaft to make things a little easier. You have to look at the bottom of the shaft to tell.

4

You’re correct: on cars with the old “stem-winder” brake staffs, the chain at the bottom of the vertical shaft wound around the shaft as the brakewheel was turned. Vertically-mounted brakewheels had a length of chain at the housing, which I believe wrapped around the shaft as the wheel was turned. This lifted a length of rod which transmitted the motion, via a fulcrum arrangement, to the brake cylinder.

Wayne

5

Thanks for the replys

Bill