gearman

plural gearmen

1. Someone who is responsible for the maintenance of equipment belonging to a shipping company, railroad, trucking company, or colliery.

   As gearman I have to see that the brakes are in perfect order; cars are in running order on 23d Street line at present.

   1901, Case and Exceptions, page 69

   4 more examples

   In this case the gearman's job consists simply in keeping the slime off the drum with bathbrick and attending to the oiling.

   1934, S. A. Garnham, Robert L. Hadfield, The Submarine Cable, page 70

   Before a job is begun the nature of the cargo and the gear that will be required is determined; required gear is taken out of stock in the gear locker room by the gearman. It is then loaded on the gear trucks and driven to the pier […]

   1971, United States. National Labor Relations Board, Decisions and Orders of the National Labor Relations Board, page 494

   It is therefore difficult to know where the gearmen's loyalty ends and their employer's dependence begins. Gearmen have an equally complicated relationship with fellow longshoremen.

   1997, David Wellman, The Union Makes Us Strong, page 155

   Dreamy was working him on the gear with the gearman during the day, checking clusters, replacing burned out bulbs, repairing tents, changing runners, replacing guys, trimming derricks.

   2006, Wayne Ward, The Last Seaman, page 103