[modeleng] Re: Windows

OK, so what is, in English, a caboose?
 Sounds like a guards van to me, but perhaps not, or maybe it was used
differently.

Alan



Alan, et al,

Sure and I think it is called a Guards van in Jolly Olde England and over 
here it carried the conductor and a brakeman or two. Brakemen rode in the 
cupola and watched for those "hot boxes" that were common in the days before 
roller bearings. These days cabooses have been replaced by a "FRED" or 
Flashing Rear End Device.  This consists of a bright red strobe light 
mounted on the rear coupler of the train (I think) and also has in some 
cases a radio that lets the engineer (driver in the UK) know that all is 
well way back there a mile or more behind him.  (Our freight trains are 
quite long in many cases, especially in more or less level country.The GM&O 
frequently pulled trains of 150 cars [Carriages] in the Mississippi River 
Delta lands.150 carriages at about 55 foot length equals out to 8,250 feet)

 I don't know what all a FRED does, but do I know it monitors the brake line 
air pressure at the back of the train. The conductor who used to ride in the 
caboose and is actually in charge of the train, now has his office inside 
the cab with the driver/engineer. There may be a brakeman in the cab also to 
take care of throwing switches and other mundane chores.  Dispatchers and 
other train drivers are in touch with each other via two way radio, but 
there are still "block signals" to indicate if a stretch of track (block) is 
occupied.

 Whistles are blown at every grade crossing whether or not it has automatic 
crossing signals.  Standard whistle for crossings over all the USA is, two 
long blasts- - -one short followed by one long blast.  It is five miles from 
my house to the railroad (Canadian National/IC) and when weather is right, I 
can hear every crossing signal east of here.  Some of the chime air horns 
are tuned to sound almost like a 5 chime steam whistle while others just go 
Blaaaaat like a lorry air horn!

It is interesting here to note that the beautiful Southern Pacific 
"Daylight" locomotives used a large air horn pointing straight ahead from 
the "skyline casing" over the boiler.  We waited beside the tracks at 
Memphis one time and I was amazed that I could hear the Blaaaat of the air 
horn much sooner than the steam whistle on the loco.  The air horn had a 
deep throaty sound that carried well but was not as pleasant on the ears as 
a 5 chime steam whistle.

Jesse In W. Tennessee

 

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