I started railroading 45 tears ago as a brakeman and rode many a caboose ( or “van” as some eastern railroaders would call them) and I can tell you the ride on the tail end of a mile long freight was hardly smooth. Slack action could be brutal and moving from one end of a moving caboose to the other required an extra sense of anticipating unexpected run-ins and run-outs. Hand rails mounted along the walls were a safety necessity. A good hoghead was often praised by conductors and rear brakies for his throttle handling abilities to keep the entire drag moving in one direction. Dusty loaded or empty coal trains were especially brutal during hot summer days as the windows would need to be closed. Still miss riding in them though.
Mr Ralph, You have any pictures you may want to share? I would love to post them and have done from readers on here in Trains, Trucks and camping and the vehicles.
I might have a few somewhere and I will see what I can dig up.I really enjoy this post as well as the old vehicles because , well, I am old now. How the hell did that happen so quick?
Big black beautiful belching smoke, I always love it. May be in a country near you soon again.
3 would not want to be in there when the boiler blew.
Thanks BC, I think it should be mandatory to have a caboose on every moving train.
Great set again Cederq thanks.
I wonder if 3 is the forerunner of the SP cab forward?
Really miss seeing the caboose at the end of the train. Is the plural of caboose cabooses or cabeese? Inquiring minds want to know.
I think #1 and #2 are located in Hendersonville, NC, not Hendersville. Just saying. Great post.
Sudsy in NC
Nice caboose. Got slapped once for saying that.
Have always been a fan of the older cupola type. Just seems like it would be the coolest way to ride.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caboose
I started railroading 45 tears ago as a brakeman and rode many a caboose ( or “van” as some eastern railroaders would call them) and I can tell you the ride on the tail end of a mile long freight was hardly smooth. Slack action could be brutal and moving from one end of a moving caboose to the other required an extra sense of anticipating unexpected run-ins and run-outs. Hand rails mounted along the walls were a safety necessity. A good hoghead was often praised by conductors and rear brakies for his throttle handling abilities to keep the entire drag moving in one direction. Dusty loaded or empty coal trains were especially brutal during hot summer days as the windows would need to be closed. Still miss riding in them though.
Mr Ralph, You have any pictures you may want to share? I would love to post them and have done from readers on here in Trains, Trucks and camping and the vehicles.
I might have a few somewhere and I will see what I can dig up.I really enjoy this post as well as the old vehicles because , well, I am old now. How the hell did that happen so quick?
Big black beautiful belching smoke, I always love it. May be in a country near you soon again.
3 would not want to be in there when the boiler blew.
Thanks BC, I think it should be mandatory to have a caboose on every moving train.
Great set again Cederq thanks.
I wonder if 3 is the forerunner of the SP cab forward?
Really miss seeing the caboose at the end of the train. Is the plural of caboose cabooses or cabeese? Inquiring minds want to know.
I think #1 and #2 are located in Hendersonville, NC, not Hendersville. Just saying. Great post.
Sudsy in NC