Subject:
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Re: what is the use of a caboose?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Wed, 25 Jul 2001 14:53:05 GMT
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Viewed:
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899 times
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In lugnet.trains, Alexander Johnston writes:
> > Primary uses were:
> >
> > - Provide a place for the conductor and brakeman to ride
> > - Provide an office for the conductor to do his paperwork
> > - Provide a place to cary various things neccessary to maintenance and
> > operation of the train
> > - Provide a place to hang lamps to mark the end of the train
> > - Provide a place where the train can be watched for maintenance
> > problems (especially "hot boxes" - situations where the bearings on the
> > cars wheels overheat and ignite the lubricant)
> >
> > In these days of airbrakes, fewer hot box problems (and I think some
> > automated detection of problems), and other conveniences, the caboose
> > hase been replaced by a box with a flashing light stuck onto the last
> > car in the train.
>
> I'm curious. Does ANYONE use cabooses anymore? The last time I remember
> seeing a caboose on a train was sometime in the early 90s.
>
> At the time I lived right next to a series of railroad tracks, one right
> next to the other. Only around 50 or 60 feet of marsh land was between the
> very end of my backyard and the closest track. You would think that living
> so close to a railroad would be really noisey, but it wasn't believe it or
> not. I was very young at the time. I always thought of it as my personnal
> full scale train set. :-) Almost all of the conductors would wave to me as
> they were passing by. The tracks were owned by Berlington
Burlington (early 90's Burlington Northern, Now Burlington Northern Santa Fe)...
Railroad, however
> I would occasionally see Amtrak passenger trains run by the tracks. My
> freinds and I would sometimes throw rocks into the moving box cars that had
> its doors open. There was also this automated light tower on the tracks.
> Whenever, it was on, it would illuminate all of the tracks so conductors can
> see if the tracks in front of them had been tampered with. The lights would
> only come on when trains transporting hazardous material was coming through.
>
> Now that I think about it. I kind of miss living so close to the railroads.
> It was the primary reason why I got into trains. *sniff* I'm gonna go cry
> now. While I do that, will one of you design and build an automated light
> tower for a railroad? :-)
I like the story though, I wish I lived that close...
Last time I saw a caboose was 3 weeks ago, parked on a spur with a rusty
older snow plow (in a kinda GN color sceme). It was a vintage Soo Line
caboose, rusty and looking like it was ready to "die". I should have taken
a picture.
Josh
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Message has 1 Reply:
Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: what is the use of a caboose?
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| (...) I'm curious. Does ANYONE use cabooses anymore? The last time I remember seeing a caboose on a train was sometime in the early 90s. At the time I lived right next to a series of railroad tracks, one right next to the other. Only around 50 or 60 (...) (23 years ago, 25-Jul-01, to lugnet.trains)
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