Hi,
I would like to know, about, when were cabooses last used and about, when were the E.O.T. devices first used?
Thank you,
Ralph
The Forida East Coast began using EOTs in stead of cabooses in the 1960s. They were the first modern carrier to go cabooseless. Other roads followed suit in the 1980s.
These days I see the Pan Am Railway in my area sometimes using a red flag stuck in the coupler of the last car in some of their short freights usually around twenty or so cars. Some times a actual EOT.
Rich
Thank you, both for this valuable information.
Ralph
Generally it didn’t happen overnight, some trains continued to use cabooses after some others had converted to EOT / FREDs. In some cases trains where a rear crew was usefull for switching moves continued to use cabooses even to the present day. Canadian Pacific here in the St.Paul MN area has 3-4 Soo Line cabooses it uses as “Shoving Platforms” still. They run on one end of tank car trains that run from their yard in St.Paul down the a large refinery about 10 mi. south along the Mississippi in St.Paul Park. That way, the can have crewmen with a radio at one end of the train, and don’t have to worry about moving the engine to the other end of the train.
On the Santa Fe, I remember seeing cabooses on the end of most trains up till about 1986.
The caboose is not totally obsolete.
If a train is expected to have to back for long distances, a caboose will frequently be used to provide a place for eyes at the front.' Sometimes these are push platforms,’ ex-cabeese with the doors locked and the windows plated over.
If a train is carrying sensitive materiel that requires either technical care or armed guards, the non-railroaders will be accommodated in a `rider car,’ frequently an old caboose. When used in such service, you can see the odd configuration of a caboose with an end-of-train device stuck in its rear coupler.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with brake vans)
Cabooses are still being used so there is no “last used date”.
EOT’s were generally phased into general usage in the 1980’s.
Stix, Matt, Chuck and Dave,
Thank you all for your great help and interesting info.
Ralph
Here’s a “all things railroad” story.
How about a FRED(EOTD) on the coupler of a manned caboose???
That happen in March of '84 on the new and stumbling along CSX…I was the rear brakeman on that run and had less then 3 months left before getting the ax.
The caboose was suppose to have been dead headed to Queensgate without a rear end crew but,a full 4 man crew was called by mistake at Russell…They could use us or send us home with pay and lose 2 men off the extra board until we was “rested”.
Anyway,cabooses are still used on mine runs and locals that require long reverse moves.
Thank you Larry,
That is interesting to know that a FRED was used on a full crewed caboose.
It is, also good to hear that cabooses, which to me are part of railroading, arer still in use.
A caboose puts the finishing touches to a train.
Ralph
Cabeese are still used here as a part of a train to transport big turbines to the port. That is it is used to carry the personnel who oversee the shipment and have knowledge of working the special heavy duty railcars, etc. The personnel is usually train and customer(mfg) both.
Richard
Thank you Richard, for your information.
It’s nice to know that the office on wheels is still in use, now-a-days!
Nothing dresses up and brings up the rear like a caboose.
A caboose is the finishing touch to a train.
Ralph
Ralph,
If you view the Roanoke VA railcam (see link on ‘Trains’ Forum) you may see a red NS caboose being used each day as a train is pushed from the eastern yards to the western ones and vice versa. I have seen recent pics of a former C&NW and SOO cabooses in the MIlwaukee area working leads and yards.
I guess, if the truth be known, there are many places where they are still in use for one purpose or another. It is good to see them still operational. [Y]
Alan,
Thank you for the links and info.
My most favorite railroad rolling stock equipment are tenders and cabooses.
Take Care,
Ralph