Why dont trains have cabooses?

Question

Why dont trains have cabooses?

Answer 1

Extra weight was eliminated when they were allowed by the Feds to get rid of the cabeese. Since a conductor was no longer necessary in the back of the train due to radio dispatched instructions from a centrally controlled location (AU dispatcher Jax in my case), they have since replaced the caboose with a much more data efficient (and FAR less attractive) Flashing Rear End Device...FRED for short. It sends almost any kind of data imaginable back to the number crunchers away from the rails and also marks the physical end of the train.

Also one less car to be maintained and serviced.

Answer 2

Railroads use End Of Trains Devices now, They cut the read crew off and got rid of the cabooses, Saves them money But is not safe

Answer 3

Cabooses were used when train crews stayed with the train for the entire journey. The relief crew and any one else that worked on the train used the caboose for rest and preparing meals.

Now relief crews meet the train and the hours of train operation are regulated by this method The relief crew just picks up the train and the old crew go to a motel or restaurant. Every eight hours this is repeated until the train get to it's destination.

Answer 4

they dont need them. they look like barns on wheels. we have amtrack. the 20's are over. so is mass train travel. so, in short. not needed. also, theres usually two engine cars, one on either end of the train, thus, is can travel in both directions at any speed with no time lost for switching track or re-distribution of the cars.

Answer 5

Another casualty of technology ... there is no longer a need for the equipment that was once inside the caboose.

Answer 6

Years ago crew's were in caboose's to monitor the train, as it rounded corners they would look in the area of the hotboxes. There were boxes mounted above the bearing, located on each wheel. If there was smoke, or at night a red glow, they would report this to the engineer who would stop the train so they could walk to the trouble spot to investigate. Now there the technology to monitor each rail wheel/ bearing, the crew's are no longer needed.