A caboose is a crewed North American railroad car coupled at the end of a freight train Cabooses provide shelter for crew at the end of a train, who were formerly required in switching and shunting, keeping a lookout for load shifting, damage to equipment and cargo, and overheating axles
What did the guy in the caboose do?
The caboose served several functions, one of which was as an office for the conductor A printed “waybill” followed every freight car from its origin to destination, and the conductor kept the paperwork in the caboose The caboose also carried a brakeman and a flagman
Did a caboose have a toilet?
Most of the more recently built cabooses were equipped with two-way train radios and contained axle generators to provide electric current for lighting and refrigeration They also had electric heaters, flush toilets, permanent water tanks and end-of-car cushioning
Why is a caboose red?
A caboose was fitted with red lights called markers to enable the rear of the train to be seen at night This has led to the phrase “bringing up the markers” to describe the last car on a train These lights were officially what made a train a “train”, and were originally lit with oil lamps
Do trains still use a caboose?
Today, the ends of trains are monitored by remote radio devices called End of Train devices or EOT The small boxes fit over the rear coupler and are connected to the train’s air brake line Railways began using the EOT devices in 1984 The need for the caboose was thus eliminated
What is inside a caboose?
As a rolling office and living quarters, the caboose was equipped with a desk, restroom, water supply, stove, heater, bed and even an icebox And, of course, all sorts of supplies from oil cans to red signal flags, lanterns and extra lantern fuel It was the rolling HQ for the train!
Do freight trains have beds?
The railway has allowed naps since 1999 and has even built “nap rooms” to facilitate rest Napping gives railroaders a chance to catch up on sleep during frequent delays hauling freight During long routes, trains may be waiting in “sidings” for another to pass from the opposite direction
Does Amtrak pull private cars?
If they are an expensive hobby for train buffs, private rail cars are good business for Amtrak, which pulls an average of 35 private cars monthly Amtrak charges $210 a mile to pull a private car — each additional car on the same train is another $160 a mile — plus about $100 for overnight parking at most stations
Why do train engines face backwards?
According to Jacobs, Union Pacific diesel locomotives are bi-directional, meaning they create just as much power traveling in reverse as they do traveling forward Thus, the direction of the locomotive makes no difference to efficiency or safety
Do freight trains have sleeping quarters?
They do sleep on the train either in their own sleeping car, in the case of the sleeper attendants, or in the dorm car, in the case of the diner/snack crew
Where does toilet waste go on train?
The traditional method of disposing human waste from trains is to deposit the waste onto the tracks or, more often, onto nearby ground using what is known as a hopper toilet This ranges from a hole in the floor to a full-flush system (possibly with sterilization)
What is the guy in the caboose called?
When a caboose was used, usually the senior trainman rode in it Historically, he was called the flagman or rear brakeman The other trainman, the “brakeman” or “head brakeman,” rides the engine The engineer and his assistant (the fireman) are in a different chain of command than the rest of the crew
Why is a caboose called a crummy?
It was common for railroads to officially refer to cabooses as “cabin cars” Crews called the caboose the “crummy” because they often were crummy Most railroads didn’t spend too much on cabooses since they weren’t revenue items, so they often had a minimal amount of creature comforts and often gave a rough ride
How big is a caboose?
They are usually around 10 feet wide and 30 to 40 feet long Cabooses are made of heavy steel (most wood cabooses are long gone) and their condition and value vary widely
When was the last caboose built?
The last cabooses would be built in the 1980s; the premier manufacturer, International Car Company, ended its production in 1981 Soon railroads began to scrap, sell to rail enthusiasts, or donate to museums and communities these mostly obsolete pieces of equipment
How much does an old caboose cost?
Typical prices for steel-bodied boxcars and cabooses run between $2,000 and $4,000 Wooden cars, when they can be found, are generally cheaper
Why do they put engines in the middle of a train?
By placing DPUs throughout the train rather than just at the rear—thus distributing power more evenly—railroads were able to enhance a train’s carrying capacity Computers in both the lead unit and remote units also allow an engineer to coordinate braking and acceleration, as well as redistribute power as they see fit
Is Hobo Shoestring still alive?
Hobo Shoestring is dying of cancer He documents his final days riding freight trains on YouTube
How much does a railroad locomotive cost?
So, How much do locomotives cost? A diesel locomotive could cost from $500,000-$2 million While an electric locomotive could cost more than $6 million Price depends on whether it is powered by AC or DC traction, how much horsepower it has, or what electronics it is equipped with
When was the first caboose built?
Use of cabooses began in the 1830s, when railroads housed trainmen in shanties built onto boxcars or flatcars
Where does the conductor sit on a train?
The conductor is located in the rear end of the first car When a train enters a station, the conductor opens the doors from a control panel on the appropriate side of the car There are two separate controls, one set operates just the doors in the conductor’s car, and another set operates the rest of the doors
What is the top of the caboose?
The word caboose was originally a nautical term meaning “a house on deck where the cooking is done” As applied to trains, however, it meant the very last car The train crew often used the roof of the caboose as an observation platform for detecting smoking brakes and other problems
How do you become a railroad engineer?
To become a railroad engineer, you will need a high school diploma or equivalent and 1-3 months of on the job training with specialized equipment, classroom instruction and periodic continuing education and training You must receive railroad engineer certification from the Federal Railroad Administration