Wood-sided Cabooses

Some ex-CB&Q and NP wood sided cabooses lasted into well past the Burlington Northern merger of 1970.

Rusty

boin106 posted:

Question:

When did the railroads stop using wood-sided cabooses like the CA-1?  I couldn't find the answer on the internet.

 

Thanks in advance, Matt

Since the CA-1 is a Union Pacific caboose, you might try searching the Union Pacific Historical Society or the Utah Rails site.

The N&W Class CF Caboose was introduced in 1914 and remained in service at least through the mid 1970s.

I remember an Illinois Central wooden caboose that IC ran between Hopkinsville KY and Nashville TN. This was the old Tennessee Central West Division that IC took over in 1968. I saw it between 1969 and 1974 or so. It looked like a converted box car because it did not have a cupola or bay windows. It did have a small sliding door on each side to allow the conductor to reach out and grab train orders without having to stand on the back platform. They believed this practice was safer.

tncentrr posted:

I remember an Illinois Central wooden caboose that IC ran between Hopkinsville KY and Nashville TN. This was the old Tennessee Central West Division that IC took over in 1968. I saw it between 1969 and 1974 or so. It looked like a converted box car because it did not have a cupola or bay windows. It did have a small sliding door on each side to allow the conductor to reach out and grab train orders without having to stand on the back platform. They believed this practice was safer.

Used to see those all the time during the '60s on the local that delivered lumber to the neighborhood lumber yard.

Rusty

GM&O used wooden cabooses all the way up to the merger with IC August 1972). They were retired shortly after that.

They could not be safely pushed by a helper locomotive.

Tinplate Art posted:

They could not be safely pushed by a helper locomotive.

There wasn't much call for pushers on the likes of the Burlington, IC, GM&O or other Granger railroads.

It was quite common to see wooden waycars on the Q on mainline freights during the 60's storming through the Chicago suburbs.  (And they even had woodbeam trucks!)

Rusty

I think the PRR (pennsy) ones could be pushed by a helper.    All the N6 class (N6A and N6B) and the ND/NDA had steel underframes.     I have never seen photos of the NDA on mainline trains in the mountains but I have seen N6 class.   I am pretty sure that the helpers could push on them    

And the D&H built some wood center-cupola bodies on steel boxcar underframes for using with helpers:  http://www.rrpicturearchives.n...ture.aspx?id=4906220

Many (all?) of them were re-sided with plywood and some lasted into the '80s.  There's a pic of one awaiting scrapping in the '90s.

Jason

Tinplate Art posted:

They could not be safely pushed by a helper locomotive.

Art,
If they had steel underframe, centersill, they could be pushed. The N&W's had the steel centersill.

Hey Matt, I can't find a exact date, but we can document that the CB&Q used a NE-1 series, wood side caboose up until at least the end of 1966 through images. The CB&Q caboose #14351 was retired in January 1971. However, I can't find any "in service" pictures past 1966.

Hope this helps.

Charlie

CNJ used wood cabooses up through 1972 on home rails that started life with lap siding and later had it replaced with wood sheathing panels and battens in the 1950's.  Keep meaning to scratch build one someday. 

Should have realized a steel frame/centersill would allow pushing if required!