more brake "stuff"

[bob kaplan]

Could a car or two without air brake gear be included in a consist of those with rigging?...perhaps at the end of the train? ....or would this defeat the safety devices?
  Thanks again.
bob

[Kevin Strong]

It could. The air line would be closed at the last car in the train with automatic brakes, the remaining cars would still have to be braked (broke?) by hand. (I suppose if they weren't "braked," they'd be "broke" in short order, eh?)

This wouldn't have been uncommon during the "transition" period on railroads, which could last a few years. (The EBT took nearly 7 years to fit automatic brakes to all their equipment or replace the ones that didn't have it.

Later,

K

[bob kaplan]

Thanks for the helpful info Kevin.  Puns appreciated as well.
bob