This topic once came up on railroad.net, and someone mentioned that there was a real powered caboose - electric, no less. No explanation of why anyone would build such a thing.

This caboose has 2 poles, one for each direction of travel, but they were used to provide interior lights and to run the coffee pot IIRC.
[attachment=2936]

Interesting. Would anyone care to venture a guess as to the time of reference for the picture?

Mid to late 1930's

Of course, someone taking a quick look at this box motor might mistake it for a caboose.
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This is a Norfolk Southern (the FIRST Norfolk Southern) locomotive and they had more than one of them.

I checked through my Pacific Electric photos and can't find one of a caboose with a pole. However I did find a couple photos of diesels that had poles installed on insulated platforms to operate the crossing signal system contactors that were on the trolley wire.

BTW, I don't recall Lionel ever making a powered caboose although some of the older electric locomotives could be mistaken for a caboose if they aren't familiar with prototype electric loco's.