Cabooses


rock4329

Member
Who here still uses cabooses at the end of their trains? I model modern era for the most part, but I REFUSE to model FREDS or EOT's. I still put cabooses on the rear of the trains, even if its coal or double-stacks!!! I have about 55 cabooses in H.O. scale. Most are from today's railroads, but a lot are for fallen flags,too.

On my H.O. world, The caboose will live forever!!!!
 
I do but mine is mostly steam and I model the late 50s and early 60s and since it is not completely prototypical diesel hasnt tanken over yet. And I love cabooses even thought I only have a few.
 
There's a restored N-8 caboose along with a few PRR passenger cars sitting downtown right now (this is in 1:1 scale). The VP of the shortline has them, and he has several more passenger cars sitting in the yard awaiting restoration. He uses them on excursions and holiday trains. Talk about the ultimate layout :cool:
 
Hi rock, some short lines still use cabooses, but usually it's when the train is being pushed to a location (no turn around) but on the way back they're at the tail end. It's a safety matter, especially winter time, so a worker doesn't have to hang onto a boxcar ladder while the train is going from A to B

13.gif
Willis
 
On the BN Allen Subdivision, even though its the mid 1990's, the Caboose is mandatory. It is a matter of union bylaws. Coal trains, grain trains, intermodal, whatever, always use a caboose. It makes switching operations more challenging also.

LONG LIVE THE CABOOSE!

Heres a picture of a "Riding Platform" [Sigh] on the BNSF Seattle Sub in Centralia, WA.:confused: :eek:
 
I use cabooses on my general freights while the work train has an old clerestory baggage car (painted KCS gray) to use as a rolling office and shelter.
 
I have 17 on my roster and I also have 2 working and functional EOTDs or FREDs which ever you want to call it on freight cars I use a lot.
 
I don't have a layout yet, but I'm gonna run a caboose on all of my tourist trains. It'll be cool.

-Nate
 
Ewww, what the heck are those, get those wasted hunks of steel off the backs of your trains, we need more 15mpg SUV's on our roads!

All kidding aside, I want at least ONE caboose. There's 4 total (from my last count) stored down here in SD.
 
I love cabeese. I made sure I but a caboose track or two in my yard. The tracks will hold about 7 caboosi. I want to build up my fleet of Pennsy N-5C. Right now I have a few old time cabooses from MDC roundhouse, when I was into older freight back in my teen years.
 
Hi rock, some short lines still use cabooses, but usually it's when the train is being pushed to a location (no turn around) but on the way back they're at the tail end. It's a safety matter, especially winter time, so a worker doesn't have to hang onto a boxcar ladder while the train is going from A to B

CSX uses them for that purpose on deadend coal mining branches in WV and other appalachian regions. The call them shoving platforms for legal reasons, so they don't have to outfit them for crew comfort the way they did back-in-the-day...
 
Ken,A lot of CSX's cabooses are still fully functional.NS has several that is still fully functional as well.
 
We had two stored in a siding in Norge/Lightfoot VA yesterday. But, behind bushes on both sides so you can't see 'em. Both in fairly clean chessie paint. And I use caboose.
 
I still have a couple of them around and when I get my layout finished I'll probably run them on empty coal trains or on high security shipments.
 
You can still see a caboose or two on the NY&W RR!!

Here's an old Conrail caboose I spotted in town that is still earning it's keep....

gp-5.jpg
 



Back
Top