Here is a kitbashed or scratchbuilt...don't remember which..."fresh air" caboose modeled on some the ATSF used around California, I think during one of the world wars. (I'm guessing unions and Gummint safety bureaucracy would scream bloody murder today) I think some were imported in HO brass. Never
seen one of these in an orange box, either, so......
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Here is a kitbashed or scratchbuilt...don't remember which..."fresh air" caboose modeled on some the ATSF used around California, I think during one of the world wars. (I'm guessing unions and Gummint safety bureaucracy would scream bloody murder today)
Yeah, what's not to love... I'm sure it was a wonderful ride up there, rocking side to side with only a railing to hold on to, getting soot, dirt and wind in your face, or getting thrown forward if not off the roof if the train goes into emergency...
Why have those annoying safety concerns when crewmen are expendible anyway. There's always someone lookin' for a railroad job...
Rusty
Doesn't sound much different from riding a motorcycle or one of the open tourist cars on the Cass. What I remember reading is that these were used in local switching and
transfers around southern California, so high speed stops were probably not common.
That was then and this is now, and ladders have vanished off cars, and cabooses
have vanished, too. Just history is depicted. I bet there are readers on here that
would sign up for this photo site with a steam train out in front of them (with seat belts, of course). I'd ride one of these up the Animas Canyon.
I once rode in the doghouse on the tender of IRM's Frisco 1630. Most of the ride relatively smooth (sorta), but there were times when the ride got pretty rough and I was really glad to have four walls around me.
I'll stay inside, thankyouverymuch...
Rusty
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