What was the Bobber caboose used for? What railroads used them?
What era were they used in steam or diesel?
Anyone use them on there layout?
Thanks for any info.
Mark
They were used in steam era, around the 1880’s I believe until the early 20th century.
Some RRs that used them: Denver & Rio Grande, Central Pacific, Rio Grande Southern, White Pass & Yukon, ET & WNC, and Union Pacific.
I have an N scale UP Bobber, though it is used for my ‘tourist’ rr, as I model Modern era.
Southern RR had a few. They were used up to almost WWII, according to my Dad. He said due to the extremely light loadings for bridges south of Selma, Al. they stayed on the property until then. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen any documentation to back up his memory.
Canadian Pacific used very short two-trucked cabooses on the Rossland Subdivision in southern British Columbia. Part of that line was on a very steep grade from Trail to Rossland (now abandoned), and using short cabooses enabled the switchbacks on the line to accomodate an additional ore car.
Here’s a photo of Sacramento Northern 1614, a “bobber” style caboose, admittedly one with two trucks, which was used until 1946:
The SN used short cabeese because part of the line was accessible only by ferryboat (the Ramon) which shuttled trains across Suisun Bay. Short cabeese meant less space taken up on the ferry, which could only carry about eight cars at a time. They were fine for use on short lines or places where access was tight or space limited.
And here’s a shot of my model of 1614, although I haven’t numbered it yet–kitbashed from a Mantua single-truck “bobber” and the underframe of an Athearn caboose, cut down to size. I added a pair of Roundhouse arch-bar trucks and Intermountain metal wheelsets, as well as Kadee couplers.
And yeah, I still need to add windows and fini***he interior…
The bobber was used as any other caboose was used. They were quite popular on short railroads where the office function of a caboose was needed, but short runs made the shorty sufficient.
Large roads continued to use them in branch or local service, such as B&O or Reading. Small roads used them almost exclusively, like Maryland and Pennsylvania.
As for preserved bobbers, a Maryland & Pennsylvania bobber is located in Gettysburg, Pa; two former PRR bobbers (one exPRR, other ex M&P/PRR) are located on Strasburg Rail Road; a rare LVRR bobber is on display at Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. A former B&O bobber (ex Coal & Coke Ry) was located on Cass Senic Rwy. (still there?) An ex Unadilla VAlley ex-ex NYO&W bobber is being rebuilt by Delaware & Ulster RR near Phonecia, N.Y.
I’m sure there are others around, but these are some of the bobbers around in my neck of the woods.
I’m sure there are other
The B&O Museum in Baltimore (temporarily closed for roof repairs) also has one.
I believe the B & O museum in Baltimore is open again just recently, like in the last couple of months. It suprized alot of us on how quick it reopened considering the amount of damage the roof collaspe did. Jetrock I may have to try a 1614 conversion on one of my bobbers to add some style to my RR
Kurt 56chevytime2
Bobbers were the original Caboose, 1 truck, horrible ride. they were soon replaced by the better 2 truck caboose about the 1870’s. some lines, usually narrow guage and shorties still managed to sue them up until about the 1930’s, where they started to fall drastically, mostly used on logging lines until their total demise about the 1960’s.
I’m logging, do you mean to tell me there are other types of caboosii than “bobbers”? ?. C’mon, that’s pretty hard to believe.
[quote]
Originally posted by fwdguy
Anyone use them on there layout?/quote]
Yeh I have several as certain relatives of mine think they are great Xmas, Birthday and other auspicious occasion presents. Most are painted for western railroads and are completely out of place on my Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western RR based in the Finger Lakes region of NY State. Not displaying them, however, could be a major, uhm, shall we say, problem, so they all sit out in plain view… LOL Actually most are cute little things and are at least close to the time period (USRA) I model. Thats better than the presents that turn out to be Modern Boxcars and Trailer Train models made in the cheapest looking plastic imaginable… Oh well, I guess it is good to have people at least support my hobby and I still love them anyway. [:D]
I’m going to use a bobber caboose as a ‘fake locomotive’ during the interval between when I lay my track and when I get it wired properly. This way the kids can play with my Timesaver track plan and not forget (or cheat) ‘where is the engine’.