Originally, the only way to stop a train was by applying a brake to the wheels of the locomotive. A wooden block was applied to the wheel tread. A lever operated by the driver actuated the brake. If more brake power was required, the driver reversed the engine as well. Soon however, it became apparent the this was not enough to bring the train to a stand in a reasonable distance and anyway, the reversing of the wheels damaged the wheel treads, so various vehicles in the train had brakes added. The brake was hand operated by a lever or screw arrangement, so a man was appointed to ride on each of these brake vans as they were called. As trains became heavier and faster, more brake power was required and more brake vans were added.
The principal disadvantages of the manual braking system were that it required additional staff along the train and there was little co-ordination during braking. The driver used the engine to whistle for brakes and to signal for release.