BRAKEMAN, in the United States, the employee on pas senger trains of the railroad who assists the conductor and is in charge of the brakes. The forward brakeman is expected to keep the signal appliances in good working order and the rear brakeman on many trains performs the duties of a flagman. The brakeman is expected also to help the conductor by announcing stations, helping passengers on and off trains and looking of ter their general comfort. He receives instructions from the train-master and is subject to the orders of the conductor while on the train. He must pass a physical examination with special stress laid upon eyesight and colour vision and must become familiar with signals and the terminology of train orders. Besides passenger train brakemen, there are yard brakemen who couple and uncouple cars in making up trains in the yards, and brakemen on freight trains who assist the freight train conductors. In 1920, there were ap proximately 927 brakemen per million of population in the United States.