NS Caboose on a short freight in Nitro, Wv

all the backup moves an empty hopper train sometimes makes require a manned caboose to protect crossings. some trains backup several miles to reach a coal tipple/loading yard.-jim

Brandy,

Most local freights that must do a lot of picking up, setting out, and spotting cars at specific industries, will most likely have a caboose (or called a shoving platform). Main line "through freights" with only an Engineer and Conductor no longer have Brakemen, thus cabooses are not needed/required. However, local freights having an Engineer, Conductor, and probably two Brakemen would definitely require a caboose in order to work out of.

Brandy Wrote:  ..an Old Coal and Coke Railroad, but he couldn't think of the name of that one..,

Coal & Coke WAS the name of a railroad, later absorbed by B&O,  that ran from Elkins to Charleston.

Yep, that must have been the one Kent. I remember my friend saying that it was absorbed my the B&O, then later C&O, when they merged/bought out the B&O!.

I guess when I'm out, I must not be paying attention, when I see trains, or, or because you see so many of those blinking lights at the end of trains.

Thanks for the info concerning the "Old Proverbial Caboose" . It still looked like something out of the past. Helluva a better sight than a "Blinking Light".  I guess as an old man, I'm getting hung up in my mind, on what use to be!

Thanks again folks........................

I see that caboose sitting there every time I visit my daughter in St Albans. 

I've seen it in use during switching the many industries in the area. That whole area, part of chemical valley, has a lot of rail traffic and a lot of chemical which may have something to do with it.  Lots of sensitive cargo may require a few more crew on hand...thus a caboose. 

Gives me a reason to run a caboose no matter the era on my layout. 

I know NS has been using cabooses on their mine runs for up the branch lines in the "hollars" because usually it is a long reverse move.