A friend and fellow photographer posted this photo of a caboose in a field. Does anyone know what model it is and possibly who owned it. It is somewhere in Texas (i know, really specific)
I’ve never thought of cabooses as having model designations–perhaps class designations courtesy of their owning railroad, but that’s about as far as it went.
Side-door cabooses existed, but few of them were steel construction. The side doors on IC’s steel-sheathed cabooses were smaller, and above floor level. I suspect that this one was added by an owner subsequent to its railroad service.
This doesn’t look like one of Santa Fe’s cabooses–they had radial roofs, not peaked ones.
I can come up with quite a few railroads that didn’t have cabooses like this. Can anyone come up with some that did?
From the minute I saw the photo it looked familiar,Im thinking Ive seen this caboose somewhere between Wichita Falls and Childress Tx maybe? It may have been an old Frisco or CB&Q caboose since the line runs the entire length of Tx.from Ft Worth to Amarillo…Friso on the otherhand had a brach line from somewhere in OK. into Quahna Tx…
Cant you ask your friend where he took the photo? Too bad it was a stormy dark day…
I got a more definite location for you all
He says:
It was taken about Thirty miles North East of Dallas, Just East of Lavon Texas, Thirty Miles South Of Greenville Texas, and Is actually sitting In What would be Rural Lavon Texas.
If you need a better shot, let me know, I will be happy to oblige.
The KCS line runs up past Lake Lavon. I don’t know anything about their cabooses though.
Well, I was mistaken on the location but I believe that would still be in old Frisco territory or maybe not…
Tracks were originally Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe, later Santa Fe, later line sold to the KCS (could have been in the early 90’s, but the dates are fuzzy. The line did hook into the Frisco, but closer to Paris, TX.
I am sure I’ve seen such an animal…perhaps in Knapke or Beebe books. Gotta spend the rest of this snowey afternoon going through books now!
According to my Cabins,Crummies and Hacks by John Henderson, Frisco did have some “drover cabooses” but he only shows some wood sided examples,my T&P book by Joe Collias shows examples of same as well,neither show a steel caboose but thats not to say they didnt have any…
This caboose might very well be from any railroad in that area…Both Frisco and T&P cabooses look identicle to the one in question…
Going through Knapke’s 1968 book I find similar cars in design. The differences are that this pic seems to be smooth sided rather than wood and without outside bracing. Those were of RI and the Toole Valley of Utah. Those with smooth, indicating steel, sides, did not have the side door. Of course that side door could be on one side only, too. I have not gotten to Beebe and doubt I will tonight yet. However, lets assume a local road’s branch line, say Frisco, RI, Sante Fe, Southern Pacific, TP, Katy, MoPac, UP, CB&Q or DRGW, customized for some service like Railway Express, local freight, or as suggested, drovers. Also look at local short lines, some of which were cast from the First Classes. One of the best ways is to check the casting of the truck frame which might have the road’s initials or whole name! And although geographical location could be a big clue, it could have been imported on somebody’s whim, too!
If you have a better picture,post it ! Maybe we can get the root of this mystery…
Perhaps the caboose was sold to a non railroad entity and modified for their purposes.
Least likely. No, cabooses like this were quite common especially on branch lines and short lines in both the east and the west. And it being of steel construction proves that it was prevelant through the caboose era of the 20th Century and not just an old wooden caboose thing. I will grant it could be one of a kind, adapted by the locals for the service at hand with what was at hand to use.
Hmmm. I had no idea that there were so many influences on these things.
Just thought I’d bring this post back to the top page to see if this was ever resolved. My curiousity got the better of me.
In addition to the KCS line running just northwest of Lavon, there is another possibility. There is an abandoned former St. Louis-Southwestern line that ran right through Lavon running generally east to west. Could it have been an old Cotton Belt caboose???
I think i’ve got it:[swg]
A style also owned by the Texas and New Orleans. And some were painted in the SP TOFC scheme. Doesn’t explain the opening though.[%-)] And it looks like the rear platform’s been chopped off.
BYYYYY GOLLY !
Could very well be the same RR linage ! I believe you have nailed it !
Only half nailed. I’d like to know how it got the door, if it is on both sides, and where it worked…inside or outside the SP system. Definitely a “modified” SP 'boose, though.