Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US tramp) a railroad brakeman.

1882		Las Vegas Dly Gaz. (NM) 11 July 4/2: At last we have learned how the brakies ‘rustle the bums’ for dinero and secure to themselves salary far in excess of that received by the conductor.
1887		M. Roberts Western Avernus (1924) 185: The fireman and brakie and the conductor came huntin’ me.
1894		S. Crane in N.Y. Press 20 May in Stallman (1966) 53: They [...] was all th’ while givin’ er tip t’ th’ brakey that I was on th’ blind.
1899–1900		C.L. Cullen Tales of the Ex-Tanks 41: The brakie [...] prodded me and yelled ‘Chicago!’ at me.
1905		Eve. Star (Wash., DC) 21 May 39/1: Hello, brakey [...] Want a smoke?
1913		L. Light Modern Hobo 40: The ‘Braky’ took a stroll over the roof.
1917		(con. 1908) E. Lynn Adventures of a Woman Hobo 87: The ‘brakie’ settled himself in the straw.
1921		P. & T. Casey Gay-cat 189: It was so blamed bright an’ moonlighty them brakies didn’t need to carry no lanterns ter smell yer out.
1930		C.R. Shaw Jack-Roller 128: The ‘brakie’ woke me up, dragged me off the coal-heap.
1947		F. Brown Fabulous Clipjoint (1949) 191: The brakie cussed and let go. He ran alongside a few more steps and then the train was going too fast.
1954		Kerouac letter 20 June in Charters I (1995) 425: The Bridgeman, with help of brakies, starts tying up with big cables [...] and we give sign to engine to come ahead a little.
1962		Ragen & Finston World’s Toughest Prison 792: brakie – A railroad brakeman.
1970		Current Sl. V:1.