Did end-of-train devices come into use before the elimination of the caboose?
Didn't some cabooses carry them for a while?
Thanks
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yes
Originally Posted by Ralph M:
Did end-of-train devices come into use before the elimination of the caboose?
Yes, on industrial railroads like mining railroads. [Correction: I had forgotten about FEC. David Johnston caught it. Thanks, David] Common carrier railroads began using them for testing before eliminating cabooses. However, these early ETD's only transmitted that brakes were applied or released. The detailed telemetry communication of brake pipe pressure, motion, marker light on/off, came later. That is when the railroads acted to remove cabooses. The ability for the Engineer to put the ETD into Emergency and apply emergency braking from the rear of the train came even later.
Didn't some cabooses carry them for a while?
Some did, while railroads were negotiating with the United Transportation union on each individual railroad, for removal of cabooses, placement of the rear-end crew on the head end, reduction in number of Trainmen, and compensation for these concessions.
Thanks
The Flordia East Coast eliminated cabooses years before any other railroads did. The end of train device, maybe not much more than a red light, started with them. Even as the caboose off movement hit other railroads, the EOT device was evolving. There were lots of issues to work out. One of the caboose off agreements was that the railroads would never buy another caboose. So as the few cabooses still in service die, they will not be replaced. Some day there will be no cabooses on the railroads.
I can remember in the early 90's seeing trains leaving Bellevue Ohio destined for Canada with both cab and EOTD.
At least that's what I was told was the reason,I didn't run towards Canada 
Thanks everyone. I was thinking (for my modelling purposes) the two eras sort of overlapped and they did.
