Assuming it would have a caboose - what ‘style’ would be appropriate for the subject consist, circa 1890’s??
(not sure about my decades)
Thank you
Tanked
Since it wouldn’t really be typical of anything, its your choice of any truss rod or bobber caboose. I might choose a bobber caboose. It wouldn’t be as appropriate for a western line, but it would look pretty silly to have the caboose longer then the passenger cars.
Generally you’d only have a caboose it the train were a mixed train, and then it might depend on how the passenger cars were heated. If the passenger cars use steam heat from the engine, they would be coupled right behind the tender; after them would be the freight cars and the caboose.
If the passenger cars had their own stoves for heat (or if it’s summertime so they don’t need heat) you’d probably see the freight cars right behind the engine, followed by the passenger cars. An advantage of doing it that way was that they could uncouple the passenger cars and do their freight switching without jostling the passengers. The conductor and brakeman would ride in the passenger cars.
But like I say this is just generally how it would work, I’m sure there are many instances of specific railroads doing things differently.