Just a man and his brand new Atlas Caboose. It is a Northern Pacific. I have never seen a flashing rear end device Fred at the end of a model train before on a caboose already installed. Really cool! I got a SP&S one a week ago....never knew.
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That's not really a FRED. It doesn't send any telemetry to the locomotive
What it is is simply a flashing marker light. Many railroads had them on their International Car Co. extended vision cabooses since the mid1950's.
FRED's mount on the coupler of the last car and didn't start appearing in use until around 1969.
Rusty
Mark:
I agree. I always thought the caboose looked better with the stack to the rear of the train. Plus, with the stack toward the front, wouldn't the smoke blow right into the cupola as the train moved?
John
Maybe!! why would you open the cupola window with the stove on? Perhaps to get your head out for a closer inspection of your train but I can't recall smoke entering the cupola or at least not very often from the stack. Whoever designed the stack knew what they were doing. I'm sure it happened but not very often.
I do remember opening the cupola windows and the back draft would cause a small explosion "POOF" right at the stove and the lid wold fly off the stove,,,, Lots of smoke in this instance but not from the stack,. Speed was a factor.
Open both doors ,clear this thing out.
Nice Mainline caboose.
A FRED at the end of the train is only a FRED if there is a Wilma in the head of the train.
Otherwise it is just a flashing red light at the end of the train.
John Knapp posted:Mark:
I agree. I always thought the caboose looked better with the stack to the rear of the train. Plus, with the stack toward the front, wouldn't the smoke blow right into the cupola as the train moved?
John
I don't think the railroads bothered with turning cabooses for the most part.
I remember seeing the waycars on the Burlington and IC facing either way.
Rusty
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