Western Railroad Discussion > Caboose #1

Of the caboose, what was it that was of dislike of and/or about it?

For one thing, there is all that slack running in and out, making a rough ride at times.  No doubt they could be cold in the winter and unbearably hot in the summers.  Many had stoves that were coal fired and some later on stinky oil fired.. Either end of a train had it's pros and cons.  Which one do you want?

RR

When we had a caboose on the job, in the wintertime I kept that baby at 80 degrees inside…I had the oil stove dialed in just right. Other than the slack action…the only complaints I have is people using the toilet in it on my days off…bad…because it never got emptied and would smell. And people would kick cars into it or drag it around without knocking the handbrakes off out of laziness, and it’s so lightweight…the wheels just slide right along the rail and get major flat spots.

The caboose was “the spot” to be!

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Even though the Athearn model was painted for Union Pacific, I think the actual car was based off Santa Fe's Waycars.

Desmond Praetzel, "4451 Puff"