I loved the Caboose on Trains as a boy. Why is there no more today?

Question

What happened that Trains no longer have them? What were they used for in the first place?

Answer 1

Mr. Goodbar's idiotic (I was going to say sophomoric but there is probably no chance he would understand this word or know how to navigate a dictionary to find its meaning) comments aside, the caboose is history.

The caboose served many purposes. Its primary function was as an office for the conductor. The freight cars in a train were accompanied on their journey with "way bills", which contained information regarding the shipper, the consignee, lading, tonnage, special handling or other needed information. It was the conductor's responsibilty to see that these papers were organized and handed off to a relieving conductor. In the earliest days, a conductor was assigned a caboose, and it was HIS, the same as for the engineer's locomotive.

In addition, the conductor had to keep records of the train's movements, delays, switching, time cars were set out, picked up or spotted.

Cabooses were also a place where the train could be observed more closely. The engine crew could only see so far back and eyes were needed at the end of the train. Also, when entering or leaving sidings, someone had to be at the rear of the train to realign the switch after the train had passed. This was either the brakeman's or conductor's responsibility. It was also required that when stopped, even on trackage where there was signal protection, a brakeman had to provide flag protection for the rear of the train.

Trains often carried three, four or five brakemen. One, on the head end (this was the lowest seniority position, as the head end did most of the work, although the term "head" brakeman sounded like a position of authority) with the rest bouncing around inside the now extinct cabooses.

When cabooses were employed on "work trains", they often carried maintainance of way people around. The same for snow service.

When testing of the air brake equipment was required, somone had to read the guage at the rear of the train to monitor the air test, as well as give the "highball" (proceed) signal and ensure the brakes had released and the brake pipe pressure was being restored.

These days this monitoring and other actions is accomplished via two way telemetry, allowing the engineer to keep track of what the condition of the rear end is, as well as initiate an emergency application of the air brakes from the rear of the train.

Though nostalgic, their passing has been a benefit. Some engineer's were not real proficient in controlling the "slack" in the train and many caboose rides ended in injury, often times very serious ones.

Hope this answers the question for you. Thanks for asking. By the way, tell someone to tell someone that when near ANY rail road tranks, LOOK before crossing, even if there is crossing gate protection. The truth is, they don't always work..............

Answer 2

They have been supplemented by a mechanical light at the end of the train called a FRED or Flashing Rear End Device. The reason trains no longer have them is that most railroads back in the 1970's and 1980's had t downsize due to the extreme unpoularity of the railroad at the time. The result from ths was cutting back the caboose, and subsequently, the crew that worked on it, which was a real emergency money saver at the time. Only now are railroads beginning to be more popular again. When the caboose was initially used, it was used from the 1900's to the early 1980's to detect hot boxes, which is when the journal box, on the side of the truck (wheel) weould catch fire because the oil and grease soaked rag to keep the trucks lubricated would catch fire. Also, The conductor who would sit in the top compartment of the caboose, called the cupola, would also see if there were any derailments of cars towards the rear of the train, which the engineer and fireman up front could not see. I hope this is a thorough explanation for you.

Answer 3

Although HOGHEAD gave a very (impressively so) complete and accurate description of the use of the caboose (for which he fully deserve 10 points), I have to point out that they are NOT completely gone. Just two months ago, I say a short train (10 cars or so) with a cabbose at the end. I enquired in one of the Yahoo forum that I belong to (a group that focuses on train modelling) some of the member of which are actually working for railroad, and was told the cabbose is convenient when doing switching duty on local train, in area where the switches are not remote controlled. If the train needs to turn at a switch, someone gets off the loco and change the turnout, and returns to the locomotive to go through the switch. Then someone in the cabbose radio calls the locomotive when the train is past the switch, and gets off to return the switch to the original position for the next train that may not need turning. Saves a lot of walking.

That train was a CPR operating in the west of Montreal. I have no reason to believe that it may be totally different for other North American railroads.

As to why caboose were elimiated: cost. Cost, plain and simple. An extra car that has to be maintained. Extra weight to haul around. Another car to move when assembling up or breaking down a train.

Answer 4

Mr. Goodbar,
nice job of showing YOU are an idiot! ;)
obviously you like to answer questions that you know absolutely nothing about, making a fool of yourself in the process.

its a FACT that Cabooses on American railroads were phased out in the mid 1980's.
there hasnt been a caboose on a normal american freight train for 20 years now.

Hoghead gave the rest of the details as to what the caboose was about..

Here is a shot I took of one of the last trains to have a caboose that came through Waverly, NY.
the year was 1984, there hasnt been a caboose since. :(

http://www.railroadforums.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=28305

Scot

Answer 5

Back in the old days of locomotives, the engineers would sleep with the train on long journeys. So they slept in the caboose and a little house type thing.

But today, the engineers dont sleep with the train, or if they do, they dont need a caboose.

Answer 6

The freight trains going through SW VA. sometimes have a caboose. maybe 1 in 50. I often get stoped by the noon train in Marion VA and do see a caboose on occasion.

Answer 7

Cost cutting and safety.

First off the elmination of a caboose eliminated at the rear end brakeman and eventually headend brakeman.

Also, the slack in some of the freight trains was so great that it was whiplash time on starting and stopping.

Answer 8

They have been replaced because the railroad company's got to downsize the crews and add one more car to the end. Thus saving money! It was replaced with a ETD (end of train device) or FRED (flashing rear end device) Dose the same as a person and a caboose, you just don't have to pay for it!

Answer 9

Uhhh...you are an idiot. The caboose was just the last car on the train...they still have those...duhhh...man you're a dumbass.

Answer 10

I think it is (at least in part) becuase there is not a need for the engineer to actually "live" and sleep on the train. That is my guess, anyway.