Do modern freight (goods) trains still have a guard's van (caboose) at the end?

Question

Do modern freight (goods) trains still have a guard's van (caboose) at the end?

Answer 1

I have not really ever seen a caboose on the end of any train in Maine.  Or on any other kind of train.

Answer 2

caboose was pahinese out in the middle 1980s. US rail.

They have a sensor on the rear that communicates with the enginer.

It was a way to eliminate another job for railway workers.

Answer 3

No they don't.

All goods trains for use on the "main line" have been fitted with continuous brakes for at least 25 years. If there is a goods guard at all (not universal) he rides in the rear cab of the locomotive.

No idea what happens outside of the E.U.

Answer 4

Not in the UK no. All freight (goods) trains are now fully fitted, which means that every waggon is braked. This means that when the driver applies the brakes in the engine, the brakes on every waggon operates. For some time, owing I believe to union pressure, second men as they were called travelled in the cab. I don't think that applies anymore as most goods trains you see nowadays only seem to have the driver on board. Hope this helps.

Answer 5

Very rarely, only the local trains will have them.

The caboose has been replaced by the EOT , or End Of Train device, sometimes called FRED , for Flashing Rear End Device) .

The EOT has a marker light , and some of them monitor brake air pressure and relay air pressure readings to the locomotive via radio modem.

Answer 6

no