Canadian Railroads > What is This?

I photographed this piece of CN equipment from the window of an Amtrak train in June 1985 just after departing Montreal Central Station.
Can someone tell me what it is?
Thanks,
-Ken Gear



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/21/24 08:04 by sig292.

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Looks like a "transfer caboose".
Doug

Transfer Van built at CN Pointe St. Charles Shops. As far as I know there were 210 of this class built between 1977 and 1980.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/21/24 09:19 by perklocal.

They were like belly buttons at one point every area had some!

By the 1970's there wasn't going to be any real innovation in cabooses except for maybe UP and MP, but this design would have been very good in the 1980's for the trains that were still using cabooses because in the US crew consist agreements allowed 3 man crews on trains as attrition kicked in.  This type of caboose would have been perfect for only the conductor on the rear, as he could not only watch the train ahead, but just turn around and look at the track behind, and he could grab orders from the hoop out the window without going on the platform.   BSB