Trains with multiple cabooses on the New York Central (1960's)

At that time, the conductor probably had a cab assigned to him. Many times , the cab was the train crew's home away from home. They cooked and slept on the cab.

If more trains went to the away from home terminal than trains returning to the home terminal, you have an unbalance of crews. Therefore crews were deadheaded home and the conductors cab went with him. This happed on other roads as well.

Used to see that from time to time on the ATSF Harbor Subdivision here in So. Cal.

I am told that way back when, Indiana required trains with more than x number of cars (I want to say 70?) required 2 cabeese. Don't know why, but there are usually a lot of slides and prints for sale at local train shows of two cabooses at the end of a train passing something neat.

J White

I have more than one very frequently on my railroad.

More than once, as a kid, when I was standing in my grandfather's barn lot overlooking the Southern, I'd see a freight go through with at least two cabooses

on the end.  Now I never see a train on that line, the few times I am in the area,but track is still there.

When I saw the title of this post I thought the subject matter was slightly different:

     In the mid-1960's -- jade green bay window caboose era -- the Central would run some SuperVan trains west with two cabooses, one end of train and the other somewhere mid-train.  This facilitated running the train to two different destinations;  at Cleveland or elsewhere a cut could be made behind the first caboose, and [ after a brake test, etc ] each section could quickly get out of town.

[ There may have been corresponding eb equivalents, I just don't remember them.]

The Road to the Future was quite a contrast to the stodgy -- I am being kind here -- PRR.....

Best, SZ