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JuanFu (32 posts)
Jan-04-02, 10:27 PM (EST) "What is a caboose used for?" I was just wandering what are cabooses used for or what were they used for? Any info is appreciated! Thanks!-Zach
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Subject Author Message Date ID RE: What is a caboose used for? Kuchinator Jan-04-02 1 RE: What is a caboose used for? ge44tonner Jan-05-02 2 RE: What is a caboose used for? Verne Jan-05-02 3 RE: What is a caboose used for? Kuchinator Jan-05-02 4 RE: What is a caboose used for? akochan Jan-05-02 5 RE: What is a caboose used for? ge44tonner Jan-05-02 8 RE: What is a caboose used for? TrainFreak Jan-05-02 6 RE: What is a caboose used for? Verne Jan-05-02 7 RE: What is a caboose used for? Matt Vince Jan-05-02 9 RE: What is a caboose used for? Richard Jan-05-02 11 RE: What is a caboose used for? Starlight Jan-05-02 10 RE: What is a caboose used for? TrainFreak Jan-06-02 12 RE: What is a caboose used for? Macster Jan-06-02 13 RE: What is a caboose used for? Richard Jan-06-02 15 RE: What is a caboose used for? Geoff Jan-06-02 14

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Kuchinator (465 posts)
Jan-04-02, 10:36 PM (EST) 1. "RE: What is a caboose used for?" all i know is that radios and computers made them obsolete.
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ge44tonner (48 posts)
Jan-05-02, 00:07 AM (EST) 2. "RE: What is a caboose used for?" Actually, a caboose is used primarily as a place for a trainman to ride at the end of the train. At least here in the USA, the practice started in the 1860's, at a time when train brakes had to be applied manually. The engineer used the whistle to signal that brakes were needed, and the brakemen started from the caboose, moving over the rooftops of the cars applying handbrakes as they went. Later after the invention of air brakes, trainmen in the caboose were responsible for throwing switches behind the train as it departed, for 'flagging' to warn following trains if the train stopped between stations, watching for problems on or along the train.
As Kuchinator has noted, today many of these jobs are done by computers or radio communication. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Verne (98 posts)
Jan-05-02, 01:15 AM (EST) 3. "RE: What is a caboose used for?" In addition to the above, a caboose was the "office" of the train's conductor. Here he did his paperwork and as the boss of the train, he supervised "his" train. The caboose had a toilet, stove,drinking water,"bunk" and various cabinets for equipment and supplies. One of the main uses of a caboose was to provide a vantage point from where the conductor and brakeman could "keep an eye" on the condition of the train (hotboxes, etc.). Additionally, the "rear end" crew were charged with protecting the rear of the train (with lights and flares) should it stop on the track. Early cabooses had a cupola with seats which provided the crew a view of the entire train. Cupola's were later replaced with "bays" on each side of the caboose which were used for the same purpose. The conductor now rides the left hand seat in the engine cab. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Kuchinator (465 posts)
Jan-05-02, 03:15 AM (EST) 4. "RE: What is a caboose used for?" ive been inside several cupolas at various railraod museums around the east coast. they seemed to be pretty comfortable living quartrs. i wouldnt mind living in one. might be a bit bumpy when moving. i saw a movie that had a train in it with a caboose that had retractable very long steel bars kind of like wings. anyone know what those are for?
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akochan (323 posts)
Jan-05-02, 04:33 AM (EST) 5. "RE: What is a caboose used for?" LAST EDITED ON Jan-05-02 AT 04:35 AM (EST)>ive been inside several cupolas at various railraod museums
>around the east coast. they seemed to be pretty comfortable
>living quartrs. i wouldnt mind living in one. might be a bit
>bumpy when moving. i saw a movie that had a train in it with a
>caboose that had retractable very long steel bars kind of like
>wings. anyone know what those are for? Flying. Or maybe for cutting grass.
-Andy
akochan@crosswinds.net Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
ge44tonner (48 posts)
Jan-05-02, 11:00 AM (EST) 8. "RE: What is a caboose used for?" When you ask about 'wings' on a caboose, I wonder if you were looking at an old caboose from the Santa Fe railroad. For a while in the 1940's and 1950's, the Santa Fe equipped the coupola on the caboose with what were called 'wig-wag' signals. They were large circular paddles mounted on the end of a lever about two meters long. Before the invention of radios, they were used as a device to signal the engine crew at the other end of the train. For example, when starting a train, it was a rule that the air pipe at the caboose had to attain 90 psi pressure to guaratee that all the brakes had released. The crew in the caboose would watch their air gage and wave the paddle to signal the engine when safe to proceed. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
TrainFreak (142 posts)
Jan-05-02, 04:49 AM (EST) 6. "RE: What is a caboose used for?" Who rode the left hand cab seat in the days Cabeese(?) were still used? Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Verne (98 posts)
Jan-05-02, 04:57 AM (EST) 7. "RE: What is a caboose used for?" That seat was occupied by the "fireman". A position that really became redundant with the advent of diesels. The railroads kept them on for a while until it became too expensive to have that additional crew member in the cab. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Matt Vince (65 posts)
Jan-05-02, 12:31 PM (EST) 9. "RE: What is a caboose used for?" I don't know about the US, but in the UK the 'Brake Van' (equivalent of the Caboose) was there to ensure the completeness of the train. On 'unfitted' trains (ie no continuous brakes) a Brake Van was required as a rule. This was partly to provide braking assistance when slowing from speed. Also, with the train on gradients, it was common for the chain-coupled wagons to 'telescope' (for the train to expand and contract). Thus the 'Guard' in the brake van would use the brake to keep the chains taught (sp - as in under tension) so that the chains didn't snap. The Guard needed to have as much route knowledge as the driver. The advent of, to an extent, automatic couplers, and more importantly, continuous brakes, has rendered Brake Vans almost redundant. Some, however, survive, where they are needed, such as MOW trains. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Richard (113 posts)
Jan-05-02, 05:16 PM (EST) 11. "RE: What is a caboose used for?" Back in the days of the 5 man crew here in the US, the locomotives use to have 3 seats in the cab, 1 for the engineer, 1 for the fireman and 1 for the headend brakeman. The caboose would hold the conductor and rear end brakeman. Now on some railroads the conductor rode up front, sometimes in the second engine, with just the rearend brakeman or flagman riding in the caboose. Different railroads had different practices on crew placement, today 3 and 2 person crews are the norm.Rich S. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Starlight (41 posts)
Jan-05-02, 04:45 PM (EST) 10. "RE: What is a caboose used for?" Well, interestingly enough; cabooses are still used on some modern trains.Take kaolin car trains for example. Due to their extreme weight; and tendency to beat an EOT device to death. (no kidding, I saw one that looked like it had been to hell and back)
It's easier to tack at cab on the end. Plus, an EOT can't detect a leak in the tanks...which by all accounts is extreemly messy.On another note, most railroads had a policy that when a helper locomotive was being used; inorder to prevent the loco from squashing the cab, said caboose was to be placed behind the helper locomotive. Pensy however, didn't follow this standard...rather they added very heavy bracing to the back and front of the caboose.There's other types of cabosses...like ones that were part of passenger cars. Those were used in mixed trains. (Trains that hauled both freight and passenger service) Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
TrainFreak (142 posts)
Jan-06-02, 03:50 AM (EST) 12. "RE: What is a caboose used for?" Didn't Conrail buy brand-new cabeese(?) as late as appr. 1978? What were these used for, I thought this was around the time cabeese(?) generally went out of use? Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Macster (289 posts)
Jan-06-02, 06:20 AM (EST) 13. "RE: What is a caboose used for?" To this day, I have seen local freight trains have a Caboose on the tail end of a train, Ballard Terminal, Meeker Southern, BNSF and UP still has a few on the system, but they all tend to have a EOT device if there isn't a crew member in the Caboose itself. I'll go down to Interbay,WA and get some Caboosey picsBrian E. Bundridge
Lexington Pacific Model RR Club
BNSF Scenic Subdivision MP 1.77
Seattle, Washington Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Richard (113 posts)
Jan-06-02, 08:37 PM (EST) 15. "RE: What is a caboose used for?" I think cabin cars lasted up to 1983 on Conrail Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Geoff (2 posts)
Jan-06-02, 09:23 AM (EST) 14. "RE: What is a caboose used for?" In Australia they were called Guards Van and a Staff Member Sat at the rear of the train in them. They were also called Brake Vans and in the Pre Westinghouse Train Brake days the Brake/Guard man Would apply the brakes to halt the train,also it was a way to protect the rear of the train in the case of a break down
But about 10 years the Unions in Aust said they were too Dangerous as the trains got to 2 to 3 Kilometers long and in some instances they replaced it with a power unit to suply power to the refrigerated vans. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

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