The Last Car Is Changing

"In the gaudy lexicon of railroad jargon, it has more names than any other property in the economy of the high iron, even more than there are for engines and engine drivers. It is a caboose, the last crummy, way car, van, cage, doghouse, drone house, bouncer, • bedhouse, buggy, chariot, shelter house, glory wagon, go-car, hack, hut, monkey wagon, pavilion, palace, parlor, brainbox, zoo, oar1s diner, kitchen, perambulator, cabin car and shanty. There are probably others in a variety only bounded by the limitations of human imagining and the vocabulary of profane and ohanging uninhibited men." -A Treasury of Railroad Folklore Early version of the caboose. 14 UNION PACIFIC INFO a natural part of every railroad. lookout nest on top lives on in the memories of old-timers who can THEN ... Still, there was a time when the still hear it hustling along far behind No one knows for sure when the conductor parked himself wherever the huffing and puffing steam loco "caboose" came into existence. he could ride in the early days. motives of yesteryear. The word dates to the time when it Maybe it was in a boxcar, or lying described either a ship's galley or prone on a flatcar or in the engine ... NOW... the galley's iron cookstoves. One or wherever he could hang on for Today the caboose is still a familiar dictionary says it was derived from awhile. sight on most railroads, although the Dutch work "kabuis" that de But the conductor, being are some no longer use it on every freight veloped from the Middle Low sourceful soul who played an essen train. German "kabuse." tial role in getting the freight to its Trains run so fast these days that Whatever it is called, the caboose destination, wasn't satisfied. life in the caboose has changed. has been around so long that it seems According to one story, this home There is little time for fancy meals or away from home arrived about 1855 dreaming about faraway places as and probably was no more than a trains rush to their destinations. shanty on a flatcar. And the cupola-style caboose is Railroad Folklore dates the cupola beginning to disappear. As freight caboose to 1863 when a Chicago cars grow taller, some railroads have and North Western conductor had switched to the side-window or been assigned to ride in a boxcar bay-window caboose. Union Pacific, because his shanty was shopped. which believes it affords a better Being a comic fellow, he prop- view ahead while being less expen ped himself on some boxes or a chair sive, will get 100 bay-window ca and stuck his head through a hole booses in 1979. in the roof. As he rode into the termi Soon, the man perched on high in nal, the jokester was taking bows the cupola, waving to the world as and smiling to the surprised yard he passes by, will begin taking up a men as he rode by. He noticed the new lookout point. good view ahead from the top so he talked the mechanical forces into His perch will be lower as he looks surrounding the hole with glass . out the side of the caboose through A permanent perch was in- bay windows instead of over the stalled, too. top through cupola windows. With today's taller freight cars, side win As time went on, one thing led to dows afford a better view. another. Bunks, stoves, chairs, pic tures of the family, old household That is one of the changes to be dishes and windows began to adorn noticed by UP trainmen who will this early version of the modern work on the new, bay-window mobile home. In the early days, cabooses. a caboose was assigned to one con The bay-window design is most ductor. Wherever he went, so went noticeable to the on-looker, giving the caboose. the caboose a sleeker, modern The universal red color has look. disappeared, since cabooses are Although about the same size matched with the basic colors of as the old one, this caboose seems railroads now. roomier since the cupola design But the little red caboose with its Continued 15 necessitated a narrow walkway at the said Dan jensen, assistant general Even more than a personal auto center of the caboose. Also quite mechanical engineer-car. mobile, they serve many functions evident are longer end platforms. Power supply reliability is besides carrying people from one While enjoying an improved ride, improved with better alternators and place to another. "A caboose is a the brakeman and conductor will stronger batteries. " It's the rough unique car; it's somewhere between have greater freedom of movement handling that is hard on batteries," a passenger car and a freight car," since the cupola ladders will no said Dick Parish , master car said Dick Sutton, mechanical super longer be needed. inspector. intendent-car department. It is a traveling office, living quarters, Roll-by inspections from a bay New caboose features include im lookout point, toolhouse, dining window caboose are simple. The proved sound absorption materials, room and shelter from the employe gets up from his seat, walks highly efficient insu lating materi- weather. to the rear of the car and looks out als and a specially designed ice the back. No more climbing down box, jensen said. Maintenance figures for the first from the "crow's nest" cupola. 10 months of 1978 show that re Better heat distribution is seen pairs to 412 of UP's 642 cabooses re The tool box and knuckle box, on as another advantage of the bay quired 119,940 man-hours of effort. the outside of the new caboose, window caboose, Parish said. That amounts to 290 man-hours for provide easier access when train re Another advantage is cost. Priced each caboose. In railroad termi pairs are made enroute. The fuel at about $60,000, bay-window ca nology, that is defined as "heavy tank, also placed on the outside, booses compare to an estimated bad-order." helps eliminate interior emissions. $72,000 for a cupola style. For 100 Counting both labor and materials, In recent years, engineering de cabooses, that amounts to more than those 119,940 hours cost the rail velopments have improved caboose $1.2 million saved without sacrifici ng road $3,238,709, or an average comfort. Hydraulic end-of-car cush function. of $7,860 for each caboose. Part of ioning units have been installed on Although less expensive than the this expense was painting 168 some newer cabooses, replacing cupola-style, the bay-window ca cabooses. the accordion-like rubber gear. The boose costs about twice as much "People require special equipment cushioning unit, similar to your as the average boxcar. automobile's shock absorbers, does and conveniences so they can do a better job of softening the slack Since cabooses are expensive to their job well in comfortable sur maintain, UP strives to reduce action jolts cabooses sustain because roundings," Sutton explained. of their tail-end position on trains, maintenance costs while upgrading That's why caboose comforts in caboose care. clude the refrigerator, toilet, stove, Engineer's concept of new bay-window caboose. 16 UNION PACIFIC INFO electric lights and cushioned seats. virtually no delay," Parish said. CABOOSE To help make cabooses safe, each When cabooses do get a brief has high-back seats (to protect respite from duty, carmen check SLOGAN against head injuries), seat belts, brakes, wheels and exterior surfaces. CONTEST grab irons, rounded corners, shatter They work on locks or weather proof windows and non-slip floors. strip doors and windows. Store De Here's your chance to have The conductor sits at a cushion partment employes fill water con your name and creative ideas supported desk as he fills out tainers and fuel stoves, replenish displayed on Union Pacific cabooses while winning $500 papers. water cups, re-supply stationery for the conductor and other items. Tools worth of U.P. Stock to boot. Some special-purpose cabooses Union Pacific's Operating are checked. At the service track, have showers, large refrigerators, Department provides the cabooses are cleaned and refitted. cook stoves and additional bunks opportunity with a system-wide for track maintenance crews who live "Sometimes, a caboose must move contest for new slogans to be in them for long periods. on before every possible chore can displayed on the railroad's Heavy use also puts pressure on be completed, but we try to avoid cabooses. that if at all possible, " Sutton said. maintenance crews. UP cabooses The slogans can be of a safe traveled more than 30.7 million To boost reliability, UP is putting ty, advertising or promotion- miles between January 1 and Octo together a preventive maintenance al nature. ber 31, or an average of 48,420 miles program. "Our goal," Parish said, To make sure that all em per caboose. Most of the mileage "is to set up a maintenance program ployes have an equal chance was accumulated by the 420 ca that allows us to predict how long at the prize money, eight booses in pool service, but another a part will last." For example, an axle winners will be selected: one 199 were used in locals and in branch alternator has a certain lifespan. At from each division and one line service. Thirty-four cabooses the proper time, UP would send the from the Omaha headquarters are for special purposes, such as alternator to the shop, where it would (including off-line offices). Each derrick crew duty.

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