Caboose on a MOW train?

Perhaps not a "regular" caboose but it might have a "work" caboose which looks like a flat car carrying what looks like a small caboose body and an open area surrounded by a low wooden or steel railing.

Sorry I can't post a picture but I'm someone reading this post will.

Tony

Up on "The D & H Bridge Line"

Yes. Just because it is a MOW train, there still hade to be a road crew, i.e. Engineer, Fireman, Conductor, and two Brakeman.

1982:

Caboose hop OKC to Snyder, OK.  Pick up Jordan spreader.  Re-establish drainage for ??? miles with caboose carrying markers all the way.

Yep , It was the train's crew job to protect  MOW movements whatever they were. unloading ballast,  Burro cranes , Bridge and Building.  just about anything.

The conductor and tail end crew actually lived in the caboose for weeks at a time on some MOW jobs. ( not like the one in the pic above it's not a caboose)  Engineman  also had their own bunk cars complete with stove , coal oil fridge, Bed  on some of the remote area jobs.   

Here what a Ballast unloading train might look like.... 2 GP-9s  Engine bunk car, Spreader,  operator's  bunk car and tool car, Jordan spreader,,,  15 air dumps (Lionel   3559s)  and the conductors caboose.  Conductors probably had their own caboose  back in the 40s and 50s. If the conductor was sick the senior brakeman would become the conductor unless there was a conductors spare board.

 Usually the bunk cars and tool cars would be left on a siding while unloading. sometimes the caboose a well.

A MOW train, like any other train.would have had to have someplace to hang the rear marker lights or (as noted) for a crewman during a backup move. If the MOW crew were going to be out for a long time, the train might have several (usually old wood) passenger cars that were used as bunk and equipment cars. If the old passenger cars were at the end, they might not have used a caboose - but having one anyway probably wasn't unusual.