Stemwinders don't work like modern ratcheting Ajax brakes, the chain wraps around the brake stem (the wheel is at the top) and tension is held by the dog kicked into the teeth to prevent the stem from turning.

To tie down a car, the wheel is tightened by hand (wrapping the chain around the stem) and then finished with a brake club. Your left hand is on the club, right hand on the wheel. You can hold the wheel with your right hand and reposition the club against a different spoke, repeating until it's as tight as you can get it, then kick the dog into the teeth on the stem to prevent it from unwinding.

To release a stemwinder handbrake the club is used to tighten the wheel enough to kick the dog out of the stem's teeth. It takes just as much torque as the original set so use of the brake club is required again.

If an automatic brake set is made before the car is tied down (always done if the car is on air, as it's a tighter tie and less work than tying a released car) untying the car will often require the car to be charged and another brake application made.

Tyler
Durango & Silverton brakeman (and daily user of stemwinder handbrakes)

TrainLawyer wins this months prize for identifying what's outside the caboose window. Another photo taken by Dalano from the same series.

http://cdn.loc.gov/service/pnp/fsa/8d24 ... 24352v.jpg

buzz -

Thanks! Now we know that the crate was loaded on a flat car and not in a gon. Also, it looks like this guy might well be the crewman pictured sitting on the right side in the caboose.


Les