Caboose usage

[Brakie]

Puddlejumper wrote:Also if you have a 5-6 person crew you need that hack even just to pick up 4 boxcars 3 miles away. Not enough room in the cab for 5-6 people.
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On the contrary..I seen 5 men ride the cab of a SW7...2 was seated and 3 was standing.We left our train at the urban industrial branch yard(a whopping 3 track "overflow"yard) while we went up a 5 block branch to pick up 3 cars.

The most people I ever had in the cab was 5, on an Amtrak P40. The Amtrak crew, myself and a CSX engineer as a pilot crew, and a RFE. It was tight. But if I worked back in the caboose days I prolly would take my cabin with me if I had a 5 man crew. Sure you could all fit up there, but why? Especially if you have to shovel coal into the firebox with all those men up there.

Dave

Dave,Here's the mob in the SW7 cab..
Seated Engineer and Fireman
Standing,the conductor,the other brakeman and myself..

Way?
Simple..It was to save needless work..

Now if we had cars to take with us the cabin would have went due to the reverse move and the need to flag crossings.

As it was all we needed do do was make a light reverse move,couple on to the cars and reurn to our train.

As far as shoveling coal back in the steam days the conductor would ride the head brakeman's seat(located behind the fireman's seat) and both brakeman would ride the engine foot boards on the reverse move..On the return both brakemen would ride in the cab standing in the gangway holding the grab irons.This would leave room for the fireman to sling coal or work his fire.