Direction of travel of a caboose?

This is "no proper" direction when picking up the caboose on the rear of the train. However the caboose is positioned from it's last trip, is how it goes on the next train. It may be one way for the east bound trip, and the opposite way for the return west bound trip.

I've also noticed that most of our recent scale cabeese  have the figures facing towards the end with the stack too. Your idea makes sense however.

In the NY Central short black and white film called "The Freight Yard," there are scenes where the caboose is facing in different directions on different trains.

That's funny - I've always thought the same as you.  I position the stack to the rear whenever I can, to avoid getting smoke in my 1/48 crew's eyes!

I also put the stack in back, it doesn't make sense to put it in the front, at least to me.

On the old square-rigged sailing ships, the galley (kitchen) was always in the bow, with the smokestack sticking up through the fo'c'sle. I always thought this was odd, because the smoke would stream back over the whole ship, until it was pointed out to me that it's a sailing ship, duh, which means that the wind would blow the smoke out ahead of the ship.  So on a train... none of this is relevant. 

Well, at least when there was a steam loco out in front, I suppose any smoke blowing from the caboose's stove sort of got lost in consideration of the mass from the loco.

I can guarantee that in the real world of railroading, not one moment's thought was given to which way a caboose faced. Whatever cab was next out on the cab track is the one that got put on the next train.

The Milwaukee Road was noted for running their cabooses cupola first, and long end to the rear. Being a Milwaukee fan, I like the difference, as it is unusal. They may not have done this all the time, but start looking at photos of the old wooden cupola cabooses, and you will see that they did do this practice.

So what I did with my Lionel 2472 metal PRR caboose was to install a coupler on the other truck.

It ran with a Lionel 675 I customized to look more "Pennsy" for an OGR article that appeared in Run 130 of August 1993.

The loco got a smooth brass PRR style pilot cover with a dummy scale coupler and air hoses, PRR type tender steps up to the cab, cab details, a crew, pop valves and a whistle I turned from brass rod. A Lionel Hudson turbo-generator was mounted above the headlight, which some PRR K4s locos had in the mid 1950s. I renumbered it 3675, which was an actual PRR K4s number. 

As for a caboose stove and smoke, if the fire is laid right the stove will hardly make any smoke at all. 

Ever see a photo of a caboose on a turntable? If it mattered, there would be lots of photos like that.

Jim

Thanks guys-very interesting.  To be honest, I have been guilty of turning my cabeese with the stack in back because it looks better, and it always made more sense to me also.  That's just the way I roll I guess 

I not only agree with Rich, I gotta ask, Why would you open the window if you needed the heat on ? When you needed ventilation you cracked the doors. Over the roof and gone  in any direction !   148th

I guess you have never been in a caboose heated by a coal burning, cast iron, "potbelly stove". You simply would NOT believe hot hot it can get up in the cupola, if you don't crack a window open.

And I'm sure you never had a physics class, otherwise you'd realize that  vented doors would not allow the heat to rise. Like I said junior.

I'm wondering what kind of physics class you took.  Last time I checked, hot air rises.  When we burn the wood burning stove and things get too hot, we just crack a window to pull in some cool air. If the caboose got too hot, I'll bet they had the same idea.  Once you get a draft going in a stove, it'll pull air from wherever it can.

Sound familiar?

1/48th scale,

Just as I figured,,,,you have never been in a caboose with a coal fired "potbelly stove"! Take all the physics you want. 

It goes the opposite way that the smoke goes.

Hot air rises only if you let it.  If you vent the floor only a small portion of hot air will rise.  Ever hear of a flue damper ? You can regulate the heat in a burning stove by lessing the damper. Oh yeah, I'll bet you both have much experience on the road in a steel side.  LOL . You guys don't know a thing. Have a nice day.     148th

So it's better/easier to open the doors for ventilation than the windows?  I'm told I tried that when I was 5 yrs old and ended up with a broken collarbone.  Mom was **** in a Delta 88 on left turns.  Cheers

Getting back to the real nature of this post Sam. This could be a unit as early as 1945 however is has only one coupler and no signs of Eastern Division on it .Does it have brass rollers on it / Whirlywheels?  Is the interior light beneath the stack, or to the front of the cupola? Many look the way as yours does, but those known to have never been tampered with have the stack to the rear of the coupler & front  coupler. I see it has blackened outer window casings , brake wheels, battery tool box. I will investigate more .   148th

with the stove lit, why on earth would you have a window open?

I don't know about you guys, but I'm running the Lionel #6557 stack first, the Burlington cupola first and the blue Lionel stack back with the flashing light in the rear. And Katey bar the door!

Is that because you broke your collar bone or your head? Anyone who would recite that story of his past is missing a door or window latch ! LOL  . Take care William

The light is beneath the front of the cupola and the single roller appears to be steel (silver). In looking closer this one is in really good condition with both brake wheels intact and free-wheeling. Paint is excellent as is the lettering. Chassis has No 2457 on the bottom. The 'set' I purchased only had two cars plus this caboose and neither were 'correct' cars from the cataloged sets of 1947. The previous owner bought it 10 years ago and thought it was an original set. I explained to him that sometimes a dealer would substitute cars at the point of sale. Another disparity was that the 2426W tender was near perfect whereas the 726 numbers on the cab were poor. Not a good match.

A PS  -  some of our scale cabooses have crew facing the other way too!

Too late for me to do anymore digging into the caboose history. I would not concern myself with the tattered lettering on the cab in belief that you have two now united units. Tendency to grab the front & rear of each piece makes its mark. The tender lettering however is centered and most likely never marred .  I'm going downstairs and run some trains and have a cigar. Have a great night.  148th

Yea, I bet the conductor and crew felt the same way.

I always thought that all the model and toy cabooseses coming from the manufacturer with only one coupler was a little cheap.  

Rich, if cabs run either way, why is the cupola on some off-center?

If a caboose had marker lights, that was the rear.

Off-set cupolas were just the way they were designed. Some railroad liked having the cupola towards the rear, and other railroad liked the caboose turned around with the cupola towards the front. But for the most part, it was up to the conductor as to which way it ran.

Bruce

The 1/48 gods must have it figured for the smoke stack to be in front of the cupola since that's the way the little dude is always facing.  I always felt that if I turned it around and the dude was facing backwards he could be held up for negligence. Especially if they put a black box on him.

My crews did take advanced physics, and by running an algorithm on a super conductor Cray computer they figured out that if they needed to open a window they would open the one behind them. In any event, they can really open any window they want since they all are required to wear the head gear in my avatar.

Alan

Hi Sam, Your description of your caboose as being a 1947 is correct. There were two built that year, one with steps and a red stack, the other, which you own, no steps black stack. You mentioned whether or not that might be somewhat of a complete set without including the other two cars. If your 726 has turned handrail stanchions it was built in 1946 and came in set # 2101w. Problem is that set included a 2457 with one coupler , but it would have had a red stack, red window casings, and steps. If your 726 has cotter pin handrail stanchions it was built in 1947 and you most likely have a match with that caboose. Hope this little tidbit helps.   148th   

On the Pennsylvania N5c cabin car the stack exited on the top of the copula

Judging by most of the replies, I guess not many here believe what "Laidoffsick" and "Rich" had to say early in this thread.

I will add this:

Rich said "Whatever cab was next out on the cab track is the one that got put on the next train". This was true only after the "Pool Cab Agreement".

Up until that time, through freight conductors had their own caboose. This many times was their home away from home. It was put on the train at the beginning of the trip and taken off at the end of their run.

After the pool cab agreement went into effect, cabs on through freights continued on through seniority districts usually until they interchanged with the next road. Even then we had some cabs that stayed on thru. Conductors on shifters still kept an assigned cab on that particular job up.

quote:

why is the cupola on some off-center?

That is the way they were designed and has more to do with the interior layout of the cab than anything else. It has nothing to do with front or rear. Remember, there is no "front" or "rear". There is only an "A" end and a "B" end to the cab.

quote:

with the stove lit, why on earth would you have a window open?

I don't guess you took the time to read Hot Water's reply or have ever driven around in your car on a cool night with the heat on and window down.

Correct...but they didn't turn the caboose at the end of a run! It went on the train as it sat, no matter which way it was facing.

As Jim said, there is no "front" or "rear" on a caboose. Only the "A" end and the "B" end.

And all you needed to do in your car was open the window and turn down or off the heat. Same could be done by opening a rear cupola window, venting two doors, and dampening the flue of the stove. Negligence made the cabin hot! Get real here. There were many federal regulations placed upon the railroad. If the conductor had a cabin smoke issue, the Feds or the rail line would most certainly correct them. This post is about a 2457 Lionel caboose, not all your W.A.G.S. as to how the real railroad   operated. It is as Rich stated, and my knowledge, "without a smoke issue either way."   148th

quote:

Correct...but they didn't turn the caboose at the end of a run! It went on the train as it sat, no matter which way it was facing.

Exactly!

AGREED !  As I stated, "either way".   148th

  Thanks guys,  I've definitely enjoyed the comments and info on cabooses in general and the one I purchased in particular.

The Berk is definitely not the 1946 model but probably a 1947 from the appearance of the plain pilot but 'regular' Atomic motor and conventional smoke unit..