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Very few cabooses remain in operation today, though they are still used for some local trains where it is convenient to have a brakeman at the end of the train to operate switches, on long reverse movements, and are also used on trains carrying hazardous materials.
I see them occasionally.
Many trains have engines at the rear for various reasons. They could act as cabooses when at the tail end of a train. I was hired as a brakeman for Missouri Pacific and then as a hostler at SP. Both were dependent on physical. My back killed me on both. My BIL went on to be an engineer with MP and I had several friends there.
The mainline of the Burlington RR [as it was known in my childhood] ran through my hometown, outside of Chicago. During the 1950's and 60's, manufacturing was still huge in Chicago and we had many trains go through my town: freight trains complete with a caboose, pre-Amtrak "through" trains such as the CA Zephyr, and the local commuter trains.
It was fun to see the various cabooses - there was quite a variety on the Burlington freight trains. Like others have mentioned, as kids we would always wave to the conductor in the caboose. When I see a freight train go by now, I always feel something is wrong when I do not see a caboose at the end.
I always loved seeing the different cabooses too. While on the subject of trains. We have a couple of beautiful restored RR depots here. The interior of this Early 1900 Southern Pacific Station is beautiful.
When I was a kid, there were two tracks between our house and downtown, the shopping and business area. Though it was only a mile away, it could take 20 minutes to get there. There was always a caboose at the end of those long trains.
When I was growing up we had a train going thru our town with a small train station and yep the trains had a caboose. Oh those were the day. Good days and times. Simple for sure.
I always loved seeing the different cabooses too. While on the subject of trains. We have a couple of beautiful restored RR depots here. The interior of this Early 1900 Southern Pacific Station is beautiful.
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