Railroad workers were exposed to asbestos across the locomotives, passenger cars, and shop equipment they built, ran, and maintained — where it was allegedly used in brakes, boiler and engine lagging, gaskets, and pipe insulation.
How Railroad Workers Were Exposed
Machinists, carmen, boilermakers, hostlers, and shop workers ground and changed asbestos brake shoes and linings, tore off and reapplied asbestos block lagging on steam-locomotive boilers and diesel exhaust systems, scraped and replaced asbestos gaskets on engines and manifolds, and cut asbestos pipe insulation on car-heating and steam lines. Blowing out brake rigging and stripping deteriorated lagging in enclosed shops and roundhouses released heavy fiber.
The Asbestos Materials — and the Products They Came In
Exposure tracked to a handful of material types. Each links to products documented in the AsbestosIndex as allegedly asbestos-containing:
Locomotive & car brake shoes and friction — ground, beveled, and blown out:
- Abex American Brake Shoe locomotive brake shoes · Westinghouse Air Brake locomotive brake shoe friction · Symington-Gould freight-car truck brake shoes · New York Air Brake brake-shoe rigging assemblies
Boiler & engine lagging — stripped off and reapplied:
- Baldwin Locomotive steam-boiler block hot-side lagging · Alco Schenectady steam-locomotive boiler block lagging · Alco diesel exhaust-manifold asbestos wrap · EMD Electro-Motive locomotive insulation
Engine & manifold gaskets — scraped off and replaced during rebuilds:
Car-heating & steam pipe insulation — cut and fitted:
Take-Home Risk to Families
Like other dusty trades, railroad workers carried asbestos fibers home on their clothing, skin, and tools — exposing spouses and children who never worked with asbestos. See take-home asbestos exposure.
Browse the full Railroad Equipment and Brake Friction categories for more.
If you worked on the railroad and were diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease after exposure to these allegedly asbestos-containing products on the job, you may have a legal claim against the companies that made them — a civil claim that may be available separate from any employment relationship.
Product references reflect allegations documented in publicly filed asbestos litigation. This information is published by an independent media organization — not a law firm — and is educational only. It does not constitute legal advice or provide legal services.