posted
Here is a topic I saw on Trainboard that I thought merited attention here as well !! Do you run cabooses (caboosi??)on your layout? If so why, and if not why not?? I run cabooses because in 1890 Colorado mountains it would be asking for trouble if I didn't!! Besides, I like the little red cars at the end of the train ... Happy Modeling!! John
------------------ Colorado and Southwestern, the Top of the Rockies! http://jstrainstation.homestead.com
quote:Originally posted by jcater: Here is a topic I saw on Trainboard that I thought merited attention here as well !! Do you run cabooses (caboosi??)on your layout? If so why, and if not why not?? I run cabooses because in 1890 Colorado mountains it would be asking for trouble if I didn't!! Besides, I like the little red cars at the end of the train ... Happy Modeling!! John
On the DS&RG, a train does not leave the yard without a caboose on the end of the train. The Managment of the DS&RG agrees with the crews, that the caboose offers added safty to crews, passengers on mixed trains, customer products being shipped.
I model 1880's to 1900.
------------------ NVTiny Desert Springs & Rattler Gap Railroad http://www.trainweb.org/dsrg/dsrg.htm
Posts: 23 | From: Silver Springs, NV. USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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posted
Saw this topic and thought I would offer my perspective.
Since the latest changes in dieselization and train management offer only FRED as the means of rear protection of the train, our club has learned how to build Rear end devices to fulfill this demand. We have some containers, some loaded and unloaded coal, some tankers and several types of box cars and flats with loads to secure our moving trains. Since we are modeling several mainline systems merging into a single service orientation we have several mainline cabooses in service with red light facing rear and some with FRED in service... we have hand built the circuits and most last a year without being shut down with the right battery and capacitor combinations. Havig fun meeting the challenges of the system you have created is the most important thing to a club. I hope I haven't made to much out of maintaining a versatile environment wheresomeone who favors steam and caboose operation and diesel and caboose operation and pure FRED operation can function on the same layout, but our group has had enough hassles with to much purity of either period/era or type of operation to keep too demanding a standard. We want everyone who comes among us to find joy, peace and by all means men whose love of modeling and railroading have found a timeless fundamental usefulness for the IRON HORSE. Enjoy. Greg
Posts: 1 | From: Grand Terrace, CA, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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posted
I use a mixture of both. All of my through freights use cabooses. Through freights are the trains that travel around my railroad, then are removed from the railroad because they have travelled on to other points of the world (or vice-versa). My way freights almost never use cabooses. Way freights are the trains that go from one point to other points on my railroad and nver really leave the layout.
------------------ Elias Valley Railroad (N-scale) www.geocities.com/evrr
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John, Cabooses RULE! Not only are they the stuff of which Railrod lore was made but are an important factor in the history of safety developement on the RR's. I've known several longtime conductors , brakemen, etc., that would sit and complain bitterly about the living conditions in a lot of hacks, but they always had a glint of longing in their eye as they related their experiences. And usually they would finish their stories with "those were the good ol'days" or "I guess it really wasn't all that bad" type of comments. It's a shame, but progress does mean loss. Model RR's, at least in my vintage(1939 or so)help preserve a part of the sum of what RR'ing meant in this country at one time. Pardon me for waxing philosohpically! Remember the Rio Grande(the legend lives on) Scott
Posts: 127 | From: Gunnison, CO, USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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posted
Everyone seems to love a caboose I run them on my Andersley Western Railroad, in N Scale.
The model railroad is current time, BNSF/UP, but the fictitious AWRR has cabooses on all it's trains, as there are often lengthy back-up moves (well, that is our excuse!)
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I'm a real fence rider. I can't imagine a train without a caboose cabeece or otherwise four wheeled or eight wheeled strange looking vehicle attached to it's hiney. My problem is I haven't spent the money for one for my layout in the last year (just started garden rr). So many things $$! Can't say I'm used to it yet but I've been living without them for a year. Guess I'd better get one!
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In my era, cabooses were still around but on the way out. However, I also model the N&W and the shifters/locals get the caboose, but they are starting to disappear on the through runs and "time freights".
------------------ AJ Y6b N&W and Conrail Fan http://communities.msn.com/TheGRRModelRR (my page)
http://www.nvrra.org (my club's page)
Posts: 30 | From: Eastern Mass, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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!! Do you run cabooses (caboosi??)on your layout? If so why, and if not why not?? I run cabooses because in 1890 Colorado mountains it would be asking for trouble if I didn't!! Besides, I like the little red cars at the end of the train 
... Happy Modeling!!
I run them on my Andersley Western Railroad, in N Scale.
