Posted 10 years ago
pajrr
(102 items)
This is a brake wheel from the days when Brakemen actually jumped from car to car manually applying brakes to the cars of a freight train. This wheel stands 5 feet high so a brakeman could apply force to it without having to bend. Usually the brakeman would use a heavy wooden club (like an overgrown police night stick) and wedge it in the spokes for extra leverage. This wheel weighs about 30 lbs. I always thought of putting a base on this to allow it to free stand and using it as a coat rack, hanging the hangers from the wheel rim.
Shouldn't the wheel be turned over so that it wouldn't collect water, snow & ice when in use ?
I don't know about that. I have never taken it apart. However if you look closely there are holes in it that would allow for drainage.
Great piece. Have never seen one of those for sale before.
Very nice and interesting. Thanks for posting it.
Seems like you could ruin a shirt sleeve using that thing or worse, your skin.