Why no caboose?

Question

I know this changed a long time ago, but I always wondered why trains don't have a caboose anymore

Answer 1

the E.O.T is the caboose. the red flashing light at the end of the train. this control from the engine. The E.O.T or end of train device or the "Fred just as the caboose control end of the train checking brake psi the E.O.T does all that

Answer 2

Larger cabs? The conductor sits up front with the engineer.

Answer 3

One of the things the other posters have missed, was that the caboose, or Brake Van in UK terminology, was there to apply braking at the rear of the train, It has been unneccessary since freight wagons were fitted with brakes that could be operated from the locomotive cab.

Answer 4

Many would argue that telemetry replaced men, which it did, saving money in wages and the maintenance on the caboose.

But over the years, carriers paid out more money on injury claims that came from working in and on them.   Outside of a "flanger," cabooses on the SP were the only pieces of equipment I ever saw that had seat belts.  You must realize, that riding in a caboose, particularly at low speed, was very much like riding at the end of a very long, very powerful steel whip.

An example?  OK, you're in a 35 ton caboose going twelve miles an hour.  For whatever reason the train goes into emergency braking.  As the slack comes in, you're still in a 35 ton caboose going twelve miles an hour when you meet up with your 10,000 ton train that isn't.  You cannot begin to imagine the force involved.  These types of accidents ended both careers as well as lives, in extreme cases, turning over anything not laced down.  I saw the k***s of the caboose radio flung up against the bulk head, having popped off of their mountings on the radio.  That's hard to do.

I was very opposed when the first telemetry devices first came out because there was no way to initiate an emergency application of the brakes.  I had a very nasty turn of events that nearly ended my life as well as three other crew members on the train with one of these first generation pieces of telemetry.  For details visit my 360 blog entry for January 1, 2007.  

With the telemetry of today, I am much more comfortable and getting rid of a rolling accident waiting to happen has been a good move.

Answer 5

I caboose is like a place for somone to sit kinda and watch, well They do not need them anymore, since all the computer stuff. But that red light is at the end of all trains, and that is connected to a system that kinda tests differnt things, k**e Brakes and how balanced a car is...