Railroad brake responsibilities are to inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and handbrakes to ensure that they are securely fastened and functioning properly; receive oral or written instructions from yardmasters or yard conductors indicating track assignments and cars to be switched; raise levers to couple and uncouple cars for makeup and breakup of trains; pull or push track switches to reroute cars;

signal locomotive engineers to start or stop trains when coupling or uncoupling cars, using hand signals, lanterns, or radio communication; observe signals from other crewmembers so that work activities can be coordinated; climb ladders to tops of cars to set brakes; make minor repairs to couplings, air hoses, and journal boxes, using hand tools; inspect tracks, cars, and engines for defects and to determine service needs, sending engines and cars for repairs as necessary;

set flares, flags, lanterns, or torpedoes in front and at rear of trains during emergency stops in order to warn oncoming trains; connect air hoses to cars, using wrenches; monitor oil, air, and steam pressure gauges, and make sure water levels are adequate; operate and drive locomotives, diesel switch engines, dinkey engines, flatcars, and railcars in train yards and at industrial sites; record numbers of cars available, numbers of cars sent to repair stations, and types of service needed; watch for and relay traffic signals to start and stop cars during shunting; ride atop cars that have been shunted, and turn handwheels to control speeds or stop cars at specified positions; refuel and lubricate engines; provide passengers with assistance entering and exiting trains; answer questions from passengers concerning train rules, stations, and timetable information; adjust controls to regulate air-conditioning, heating, and lighting on trains for comfort of passengers.