Final answer:
The best practice for setting up hand brakes on a train on a grade is to apply them on cars higher up on the slope. Cars closer to number 1 would be ideal, possibly braking every other car, such as cars 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9, to distribute the force and add redundancy.
Step-by-step explanation:
When setting up hand brakes on a train that is positioned on a grade, the goal is to prevent the train from rolling downhill due to gravity. The best practice in this scenario involves setting up the hand brakes on cars that are strategically placed to maximize the braking effect. This often means applying the brakes on the cars that are higher up on the grade, as they exert more force pulling the rest of the train downhill.
For a ten-car train laid up on a grade, with cars numbered 1-10 starting from the highest car on the grade, one would ideally set the hand brakes on cars closer to car number 1. It's not necessary to brake every car, but rather enough cars and in a configuration that ensures that the unbraked cars are securely held by the braked ones. A common practice might involve braking every other car, or cars 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9, which distributes the braking force across the train and adds a level of redundancy.