Prototypical scenery questions

1. If you google "Do power lines cross railroad tracks" and switch to the image tab, you'll find many photos which address the question.

2. Forward.

Some of the caboose (cabin in prr talk) crew would be tasked with watching the train, and would face forward watching for dragging equipment, hotboxes, derailments, or other problems with the train.   This would most likely be the rear end brakeman and the flagman.

the conductor most likely, especially on a local, might be sitting at the desk inside the caboose doing paper work to figure out his next switching move and documenting cars dropped and picked up.

Remember the conductor is the "captain" or boss of the train.    He gives signals to the engineer telling when to move and stop etc.    They work together obvisously, but the conductor is officially in charge of the train.

Just to add to the excellent responses above, the caboose can face either end forward, although it was usually tacked on with the stove pipe to the rear.

@Artie-DL&W posted:

Just to add to the excellent responses above, the caboose can face either end forward, although it was usually tacked on with the stove pipe to the rear.

I disagree. I've never seen any railroad that would waste time and resources to turn a caboose around, in order that the "stove pipe" would face the rear.  That's why there are marker lamp mounting brackets on each end of a caboose.

No, no,Hot Water, that’s what I meant, that the caboose could face either way on a train., although I would always defer to a real railroader!