Where Did the Caboose Go? | History in the Dark

Back in the tail end of the caboose era, early-mid 80s... I saw a BN train enter the yard with a caboose on both ends of the train. One tucked behind the locomotives ahead of the freight cars, the other at the tail end of the train.

“You’re a really useful breakvan Toad, you help me break. And you keep my freight cars in order when we go down hills.” - Oliver from Busy Going Backwards

“Also we would like better health insurance “ “NEVER “ 😂😂😂😂

I always enjoy your videos and commentary. However as a 42 year railroad man (hiring out in 1973) ending my career as an engineer (and being a conductor in the caboose prior to them taking them away), respectfully we pronounce Cupola "Cue-pa-low". I loved working in a caboose. It was a great place to be. I logged many miles in one, both Cupola, and Bay window.

When I was on vacation in Seattle, my hotel was near a BNSF yard and I got to talk to one of the BNSF employees. He said the yard specifically used cabooses as break rooms.

Very nice. Thank you. I grew up at the tail of the caboose era of US railroading and I have always enjoyed seeing them.

CPKC uses cabooses in their yards as shelters for workers during the winter (Canada gets COLD, think about it). They generally sit off to the side of yards on the opposite side of the main offices. This lets brakemen and other workers warm up as they do their jobs

In my small hometown, there is a caboose on display at the local museum. I also have a memory of the railroad that ends at my hometown bringing a caboose with Santa Clause on board, but they stopped doing that in the late 1990’s/early 2000’s, not sure when exactly.

My father was a railroad man. Injured in a head on collision in 1973. In 1970 he bought a surplus wooden caboose. Transported on a "lowboy" big rig across 2 mountains. It was our "summer" home for many years. It unfortunately no longer exists. The man we sold it to, sold it again and that person burned it down (yes on purpose and with fire dept standing by and a junk man waiting for the metal frame) broke my heart when I found out. Sat in the cupola all the time. As children we called it "the cubealo". I miss it a great deal at times. Thanks for the video and the memories!

It’s unfortunate that it’s no longer widely used but it’s good to know that it’s still being used for various needs

Everyone loves a little red caboose! Now if only I could find a nice one for my 1980s CN HO layout I’d be a happy man. 😂

Speaking of red marker lights, here in France we use the term "lanterne rouge" - literally, "red lantern," to refer to the person at the very last place in a bicycle or auto race.

The ATSF caboose thing was because they the end facing the head end rode way way better. Company wanted the cupola facing the rear so they could see better. Crews wanted it up front so they could stand the ride. And im pretty sure cupola is pronounced que-poh-la

Their extremely recognizable nature also means many heritage and amusement railroads use cabooses in passenger service. The Huckleberry Railroad in Flint, Michigan runs a caboose behind its passenger trains that I believe is either from Rio Grande or a Mexican narrow gauge railroad.

I recently found an old Y-12 bay window caboose. Along with an Amtrak baggage car, a box car, some flat cars, and a bunch of heavy security cars.

Great work Darkness. Cool to hear some main lines still use cabooses.

Most FREDs/EOTDs will transmit a periodic tone on 457.9375 MHz. (Norfolk Southern uses or has used 161.115.). The range of this tone runs from roughly 1-3 miles, depending on battery strength and atmospheric conditions. And it can be detected on scanners used to pick up the other railroad frequencies. A major purpose of the tone is to allow trains that follow to detect another train ahead. (Engine cab radios will be set to both the road frequency and the FRED/EOTD frequency.)

Neat information about cabooses! In Elby, Washington there's a hotel like you described. It's called the Hobo Inn. They have several cabooses, and a couple of box cars (Pullman style cars are restaurants!) My kids and I stayed in the Family Suite, which is a box car. It was sooooo much fun! Not only being in such a beautiful area near Mt Rainer, but also staying in a box car! I recently got to go inside an old Simpson Caboose, in the Simpson Railroad collection, near Shelton, Washington. Also not far from Shelton, Washington a lucky guy has an old Great Northern caboose in his yard!!

How many modern derailments could have been prevented with a caboose? More than one.

You know what? Before I saw this, I never thought about them that way. You kinda made me clear how useful and well loved these things REALLY are. Thx. for bringing these important pieces of histry a bit closer to me.^^