NKP consist question

You saw photos of the Berks in the state of Indiana.  Indiana had, at that time, what the unions called a "full crew law" requiring an extra brakeman on trains longer than a certain number of cars; I'm not certain but I think it was something like 65 or 70 cars.

This required a six-man crew on these trains instead of five.

The unions wouldn't stand for this extra guy riding on the engine, so they had to provide a rider car right behind the tender for him to ride in.

I'm sure that this law didn't apply to just the NKP, but I'm not sure how the other roads addressed it; maybe they had the extra guy ride the caboose.

EdKing

If it's the video I've seen several times on RFD TV I think most of the trains they showed with a caboose right behind the engine were local freights. Back in the day some locals on some roads ran with a caboose right behind the engine for the conductor and one on the hind end for the flagman. That way the conductor was near the head end to make the moves and had his cab to ride in and do the paperwork. The front brake man could ride either on the engine or in the front caboose. Of course, after they took most of the firemen off either the conductor or the front man would have to ride on the engine. Around here the B&O often used two cabs on the local until the mid-1960s IIRC.

Thanks for the info.  I think I'll throw a plain Lionel Lines caboose into my NKP consist next time I run it - should make for an interesting combination of cars.

KC

Just when did cabooses become "cabs". Perhaps I am just a tiresome old traditionalist, but can't we just leave some things as they were, in fact, as they were for the entire  period they were in actual use? Another change I don't care for:   railroads have become "rails". No, railROADS!!!

other traditionalists might refer to them as cabin cars, so perhaps it's a good compromise?

to the OP, you may want to check out the Yahoo group "NKP".

a large and active knowledge base there.

They're also known as vans or waycars...  depending on the railroad.

Rusty

Cabin cars, vans, waycars, crummies, brain box, etc, are all authentic names employed in the caboose era. "Cabs" wasn't. What's next? "Lo's" for locomotives?

        Back to my dark room with all the curtains drawn closed, where I can continue grumbling about all these young whippersnappers!

Or vans in Canada!

I sorta like "Chooch" for locomotives...

Rusty

We called 'em "Cabs" on the P&LE in the 1960's.

Just goes to show you, there's a prototype for everything.

Except "lashup" !

I don't know when cabooses became "cabs". I've been around one railroad or another for over 50 years and they've been called "cabs" ever since I've been around. At least on the B&O and PRR/PC/CR. I can assure you I didn't start it.

>> What's next? "Lo's" for locomotives?

Maybe not, but I had to severely reprimand one young whippersnapper a while back for referring to a steam locomotive as a "unit"!

a few weeks ago when the Riverside Live Steamer's club 4-8-4 wandered off the tracks after being driven through a floating switch point, i heard some very inventive names for a big (model-wise) steam locomotive i unfortunately cannot repeat here.