Nostalgia & History > SP Railroad Police Cabooses?

Hey folks,
I have been wondering about the story behind the small batch of cabooses the Southern Pacific assigned to their Railroad Police. I know their intermodal trains were rolling shopping malls on the Sunset Route and apparently this is where these cabooses were used. I can't find much information about these cabooses so I figured I would ask here.

When these cabooses were on a train, where in the consist were they? On the end of the train where a caboose was intended to be? Did the rear end crew ride the caboose with the railroad police officer, or were the trains already operating with the whole crew on the head end (E.O.T. device era)? If the cops actually rode the train, what was their length of run (did they change with the train crews)?

I can't imagine this effort being very effective, how long did the effort last?

Anyone know of any links that have good information on the SP Railroad Police Cabooses?

Thanks!

Andy

All I remember, Andy, is that the SP Police Cabooses were painted WHITE with the large word POLICE painted on it in large letters. It was usually located in the MIDDLE of the consist.

KRK

towards the end, the SP Police caboose had a graffiti of a keystone kop style officer holding up his hand with the word bubble "STOP VANDALS!" on it...Ironic for the Police caboose, and perhaps a little telling that the railroad is a pretty open space to try to police all the time!

On the end of the train with a Special Agent following via highway. Talked to one SA following a stack train with autos on Beaumont Hill ( funny story.. he pulled up beside me and rolled the window down and said, if he knew I was out, he could have stayed in bed. He respected us ( railfans) and knew we would call in anything that wasn't right. Said he and the rider agent will change at Yuma ( train out of WC)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/05/13 18:27 by WAF.

Here is a photo of one of the RR police cabs. This one is still in use by the Guadalupe switcher as a "shoving platform" while on the White hills branch in Lompoc, CA.


V

SLOCONDR

PS. This was taken around 2006 or so.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/05/13 18:32 by SLOCONDR.

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Hey Virlon,
Your picture posted the size of a postage stamp...

So, these cabins could run on any type of freight train or just autos and intermodals? They could also be found mid-train?

Andy

Was this ever considered a caboose? Or maybe something to show that the idea might work? Note the little bubble window so you can look forward without opening the door.

wb, Donner, 8/27/83

jb

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Former test car SP 250, former Baggage dorm 3104. Pulled from service in January, 71 in a Cascade derailment. Later rebuilt into a police car in 1981, complete with jail in back of the car. Yes, bubble used to look out



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/05/13 19:06 by WAF.

KeyRouteKen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> All I remember, Andy, is that the SP Police
> Cabooses were painted WHITE with the large word
> POLICE painted on it in large letters. It was
> usually located in the MIDDLE of the consist.
>
> KRK


All the times I saw them they were on the end of the trains, but they were w/bs and not intermodals.

In an attempt to combat theft on trains, Southern Pacific painted up a number of C-50-9 Class caboose with Police badges and lettering.

These were used on trains along with an SP Police Car pacing the train to deter people boarding trains and stealing or damaging lading and railroad equipment.

Along with the regular train crew, SP Railroad Police or Special Agents rode in the caboose to monitor the train.

KRK

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KeyRouteKen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In an attempt to combat theft on trains, Southern
> Pacific painted up a number of C-50-9 Class
> caboose with Police badges and lettering.
>
> These were used on trains along with an SP Police
> Car pacing the train to deter people boarding
> trains and stealing or damaging lading and
> railroad equipment.
>
> Along with the regular train crew, SP Railroad
> Police or Special Agents rode in the caboose to
> monitor the train.
>
> KRK

Above info came from here:

http://espee.railfan.net/sp_rr-police-caboose.html

Additional photos and info at the link.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/05/13 19:48 by SP_8299.

I spotted these at Union St, Bakersfield,Ca in 2004. Does't seem like anything I would want my police forces' name on.

Dick

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That last caboose does not look SP at all.

Regards, Jim Evans

I am retired from U P S Loss Prevention, but in The N Y C area.
It is my understanding that U P S Loss Prevention people rode
along with S P Police many times in the cabooses.
If I recall they rode from El Paso west.

I had asked that they send me out there for a month or so but they
said no, you stay in New York.

Jim

FiveChime Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That last caboose does not look SP at all.
>
> Regards, Jim Evans

Aside from the ghetto paint job, it is an SP caboose

Espee's one and only SPSF-painted caboose was also used as a Police Caboose for a while.

About what year where these cabooses painted white and put into this "special" service?

Did the police in the special car cross crew district lines, or did they change out in favor of a different police crew for Yuma and east?

WAF Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> FiveChime Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > That last caboose does not look SP at all.
> >
> > Regards, Jim Evans
>
> Aside from the ghetto paint job, it is an SP
> caboose

I think Jim is referring to 01482, which looks ex-DRGW to me.

Nathan Beauheim
Cheyenne, WY

They were originally used during the middle 80,s in auto trains west from El-Paso and placed in the middle of the train to be better able to observe trespassers boarding the train around Anapara and looting the new autos going west. The access roads are remote and the pilferage was horrendous.
Later the same equipment was also used in trailer trains out of Ogden to stop the pilferage by train crews with the help of the thieves and their trucks.