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dead man's handle (railroads) | Wisconsin Historical Society

Historical Essay

dead man's handle (railroads)

dead man's handle (railroads) | Wisconsin Historical Society

A safety mechanism on a train controller which automatically applies the brake if a lever is released. It is intended to stop a train if the driver is incapacitated.

View pictures relating to railroads at Wisconsin Historical Images.

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[Source: "Rail terminology" at Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_terminology)]