Although a sufficient number of handbrakes must be applied to standing equipment, a minimum of _____________ must be applied (unless the use of more is indicated by Special Instructions) and if necessary, car wheels must be ________?

Although a sufficient number of handbrakes must be applied to standing equipment, a minimum of _____________ must be applied (unless the use of more is indicated by Special Instructions) and if necessary, car wheels must be ________?

• A. 2 Handbrakes / Blocked
• B. 3 Handbrakes / Blocked
• C. 1 Handbrake / Blocked
• D. 2 Handbrakes / Not Blocked

Answer: (A)

When securing standing equipment, you must apply enough handbrakes to prevent any movement. Using two handbrakes as a minimum provides redundancy and a greater resisting force than just one, which helps ensure the cars stay put even if one brake is not fully effective or conditions change (like wind, small slope, or rough track). If, after applying two handbrakes, there’s still a risk of movement or conditions require it, you must block the car wheels to physically prevent rolling. Special Instructions may call for more than two handbrakes, but without that directive, two is the baseline. Wheel blocking is used when movement could still occur, so leaving wheels unblocked would not meet the securing requirement. The other options either rely on too few handbrakes (a single brake) or on not using wheel blocking when appropriate, or they require more handbrakes than the minimum without a directive to do so.

When securing standing equipment, you must apply enough handbrakes to prevent any movement. Using two handbrakes as a minimum provides redundancy and a greater resisting force than just one, which helps ensure the cars stay put even if one brake is not fully effective or conditions change (like wind, small slope, or rough track). If, after applying two handbrakes, there’s still a risk of movement or conditions require it, you must block the car wheels to physically prevent rolling.

Special Instructions may call for more than two handbrakes, but without that directive, two is the baseline. Wheel blocking is used when movement could still occur, so leaving wheels unblocked would not meet the securing requirement.

The other options either rely on too few handbrakes (a single brake) or on not using wheel blocking when appropriate, or they require more handbrakes than the minimum without a directive to do so.