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Thought I'd start in this new forum with some questions I hadn't really given too much thought to in the past, concerning caboose/cabin/hack/etc. operating rules.
For example.....with a helper on the "back end" is the caboose always pulled, or is it pushed some times, and is there a precedent for when push or pull is preferred, and used ???
Is "pushing" only done with steel cabooses, or were wood cabooses also pushed?
How about the case where the train has two cabooses, one behind the lead engine, and one at the rear of the train? ( C&O mainline wayfreight did this, a backing move would be the equivalent of a helper pushing on the caboose )
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Good start!
A wood caboose could be pushed if it has a steel frame.
However..
I am sure during the era of iron men and wooden cars the caboose was pushed against.
As far as a local having 2 cabooses..The second caboose was a "rider" car for the head brakeman and a extra brakeman IF the local execed 30 cars.The conductor would also work out of this caboose.In the days of flagman the flagman would ride the second caboose with the rear brakeman.
So,a extra long local could have seven men including the engineer and fireman.
Larry
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Summerset Ry
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My favorite operation during the caboose era involved cutting off helpers on the fly. The caboose... AHEM.. Cabins had an extension on the angle cock to enable the conductor to close the brake pipe between the cabin and the helper. A chain was then pulled which was connected to the coupler cut lever. The conductor would then signal the helper engineer who would let off the throttle, allowing the train to pull away, the brake hoses would separate, placing the helper into emergency while the train being helped continued on.
-Dave
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Great Idea for a thread. I just want to add that some Rail Roads( can't think of any right now
)Always cut off the caboose and placed it behind the helper no matter what it's construction.
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Were there rules about cleaning and restocking supplies/ number of hours a caboose could be used before needing service? I suppose they might have varied from road to road? That might have operations implications for modelers who want to include caboose movements in their scheme.
Ralph
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Ralph Wrote:Were there rules about cleaning and restocking supplies/ number of hours a caboose could be used before needing service? I suppose they might have varied from road to road? That might have operations implications for modelers who want to include caboose movements in their scheme.
Ralph
Ralph,Here's the way it worked on the PRR in Columbus.
A inbound Pittsburgh train rolled into the arrival track.The cabin switcher removed the cabin and took it to the cabin service track where it was cleaned,inspected,restocked and refueled.Then it was taken to the outbound cabin ready track for Yard A -the yard that served trains bound toward Pitcairn and Conway.Now if the train arrived from the West-Logansport,Chicago,St. Louis then the cabin would be place on Yard B's outbound ready cabin track..Later the cabin switcher would pick up a cabin off of(say) Yard A's outbound cabin ready and place it on the outbound train.
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I worked this job several times and it kept us busy since there was 6 yards in what was commonly called the Cleveland Ave yards.
Larry
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e-paw Wrote:Great Idea for a thread. I just want to add that some Rail Roads( can't think of any right now )Always cut off the caboose and placed it behind the helper no matter what it's construction.
In Orangeville (CPR town) I believe that in post WW2 steam days, the helper also took a van/caboose with it, as returning down the hill to the yard was a several mile-long reverse move, and there was no way to turn the engine at the top of the hill after cutting off...
Andrew
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Ralph Wrote:Were there rules about cleaning and restocking supplies/ number of hours a caboose could be used before needing service? I suppose they might have varied from road to road? That might have operations implications for modelers who want to include caboose movements in their scheme.
Ralph
I use to watch operations at browns yard PRR and the ELyard in perth amboy. Browns yard had 3 tracks for cabins. One had a frieght type building next to it, this was the restock and mait. building, the other 2 tracks where storage for in boundand out bound cabins. The guys on the Penn Central where great and friendly,i got to see alot around there, but that was back then.
