ALL:
The cover photo on the winter 2017 “CT” shows two people talking. I assume that the man with the fedora is the conductor from the train on the adjacent track and the taller man is the head brakeman on the steam train and he is probably has conductor rights. Regarding the caboose, what is the “bullseye” device on the the cupola and looks like it raises up in the air.
Ed Burns
Yes it does seem to be able to swing out and up. Cabooses were assigned to a specific conductor/crew in those days. I know that many had special ways of determining where their specific caboose was in the yard so they could find it easily when it came time.
Most I’ve seen appear to be somekind of innovative jury rigged identifier but this one sees very official and solid in it’s construction.
I could be wrong, it’s just a reasonable assumption and guess.
Those are wig wag signals and were quite common on the Santa Fe Used to signal the lead locomotive about brakes set or released or switching functions
Terrific info. Nice to find out about something that you never knew before. Now I’m going to have to add this feature to my AT&SF caboose’s…oh boy, thats a bit of work.