What was the original function of the "caboose" and why are they not used anymore?

Question

I live along the tracks near Belmont, Arizona. I haven't seen a functional caboose since I was a kid. Recently the only ones I have seen have been converted diners or hotel rooms.

What's up?

Answer 1

Another reason is that the caboose turned into a "private" car for each engineer riding it, and they refused to switch and swap cabooses, so they had to be cut loose from a train, and reattached to whatever train the guy was going with. So it cost time and money.

Another reason is that nowadays, there are sensors placed to check train wheels for heat as they pass, if they detect a hot spot, they can send a signal to the local Controller warning of a possible problem, and even what part of the train it was spotted on. I'm not sure how effective that is, but it must work somewhat, or they wouldn't keep using it.

Lastly, as the Unions lost ground, money was tight, and improvements in railroad equipment provided ever increasing reliability, the need for a caboose just kept losing ground until it wasn't sustainable anymore. Sad, but that's efficiency for ya.

- The Gremlin Guy -

Answer 2

As usual, Rango and Hoghead got here before me. One thing I can tell you though, is that the line I work for (Minnesota Northern Railroad) still uses a caboose sometimes. But in reality, I don't miss 'em, as most railroaders will admit. They were a pain when ever setting out cars or reversing train direction. Hey, would you believe it???  I did a research project once on the history of Belmont, as well as Riordan, Chalender,  Prentice, and Supai.

Answer 3

In addition to what Jekyll said: the Caboose was used for safety too. From the cupola or bay windows the crew could inspect the train to see if everything was ok.

Nowadays the FRED-device at the rear of US-trains is used for part of that purpose.

Answer 4

When my Great Grandmother traveled from California to New Jersey by train she brought food, which she was able to heat up on the small pot belly stove in the caboose.

Answer 5

The caboose was for the crew to ride, in the earliest days of railroading there was no airbrakes.

Brakemen had to ride the caboose, and position themselves on the top of freight cars to manually apply the brakes on each car as needed to help control the train speed.

It was absolutely critical that brakemen be ready and in position.

After the advent of air brakes, there still had to be trainmen at the rear of trains to monitor air pressure, watch the train for overheated wheel bearing, loads shifting etc.

With the introduction of roller bearings overheated bearings became a lot less common.

"Locals" trains that had a lot of online work, picking up cars, setting cars out at industries etc. was a lot easier with a man on the caboose, he could be in postion to protect the movement in and out of industry tracks. In addition, anytime a train had to make a backup movement the caboose has a whistle and emergency brake valve so it is much safer when shoving the train backwards over crossings.

You have probably noticed a red light at the end of trains, it is a FRED or flashing (usually) rear end device.

They can monitor air pressure (when they work), they are designed to tell the engineer when the rear of the train is moving but that function does not work very often.

In addition smart FREDs have a radio operated emergency brake valve that the engineer can use to stop the train if the air brake system is somehow blocked and the engineer loses control of the air brakes.

The reason they are not used is simply money, by eliminating the caboose the railroads were able to eliminate one crew member.

FREDs are a poor substitute for a crew member on a caboose but for the most part we get by reasonably well.

I miss the cabooses though, no better feeling in the world for a young uncertain engineer (not yet a "hoghead") to have a crusty old conductor come into the depot and say "good ride kid".

I know that train handling has suffered a lot with no one back there to complain if you knock things around a bit. I have to think freight damage claims are higher.

But Hoghead is right about the personal injuries, especially with the cupola window crummies, the bay window level floor ones were a bit safer.

Answer 6

The caboose was used for many years as crew quarters. Train crew would use it as an office or bunk room on long trips. It also provided a location for crew to keep the rear of the train safe when the train was stopped.

Answer 7

There are a few situations where you can see cabooses in use in freight service, but it is rare.  They are only used on certain local switching routes, where the train has to "back" (run in reverse) for certain stretches of track.

A crewmember will ride the rear platform of the caboose as 'eyes and ears' for the engine crew, making sure there is no debris on the track and that any switches are lined properly. Specific locals I have seen are on BNSF in Fullerton, CA, and another on the BNSF near El Segundo, CA.  The UP maintains a caboose on the coast line near Oxnard, CA, but I have never seen it in operation.

Answer 8

And, they were an early form of entertainment for bored hoggers...

But, they were a personal injury waiting to happen, in truth.  I've known many who have been racked-up on a caboose.  A caboose was at the end of a 10,000 ton steel whip, for all intent and purposes.  And, that whip was quite long, as well.  Severe run-in of slack was an ever present danger.  Cabooses and snow removal equipment called "flangers" are the only pieces of equipment I have ever been on that was equipped with seat belts.  

This was an additional reason for doing away with the good ol' crummy.  From a safety stand point in so far as operations are concerned, even with automatic track side scanners, there is no compensation for an additional pair of eyes and, equally important, an extra nose to sniff the air for the signs of danger.

It also provided a way for a crewman at the rear end of a train to initiate an emergency application of the air brakes.  Yes, the FRED telemetry affords two way communication that will allow a crewman on the head end of the train to initiate an emergency application from the rear end, if necessary.  BUT, if temporarily out of communication (happens all the time) due to loss of continuity when the need arises, you're out of luck.

Most engineers weren't sorry to see them go, however.  From the stand point of train handling challenges, most of all, the venerable, now defunct caboose was a pain in the rear...