Service facilities ???

[john lea]

Out of all the service facilities and trackage I have yet to see anyone say anything about is a caboose service track. After all they need service too. In the days of old each conductor was assigned a cab, it was his home while on the road, he and his crew supplied the food for the trip and the railroad supplied the rest of the needs, coal for the stove, coal oil for the lamps, fusses, torpedos, knuckles and ect. My question is, has anyone modeled a cab track?

[tstage]

John,

Would some of that work been done in the car shop? I guess I have never seen (or heard of) a caboose service track before. I'm interested in learning more...

Tom

[john lea]

tstage.. I made a reply but I don't know if it went anywhere or not, if it didn't let me know and I'll try again...john

[tstage]

John,

Don't know anything about a reply...

Tom

[johncolley]

My stepdad was a 22 year conductor on SP before he died, and had his own assigned caboose. The way it was done was as follows: The caboose track was double ended for switcher access. All inbounds were set on from one end and outbounds were removed from the other end, so it was FIFO First In First out in their job rotation. If a conductor layed over (turned down a run) his crew was assigned to other jobs by seniority and his caboose was run around to the other end of the line. Often Dad would take me down between runs to stock up his caboose and I got to sit in the cupola and survey the A/D track and yard switchers. Gee, do you suppose that is where I got my love of trains? Happy Holidays, all!

[tstage]

John Colley,

When they "serviced" a caboose, what exactly were they doing? Was it just stocking it for the next run? Were they inspecting (e.g. like an airplane) it to make sure it was in good working order?

I guess I'm trying to understand the reason for the caboose needing to be serviced. A locomotive? Yes! - THAT I understand. (There's sanding, coaling, inspecting, fueling, dumping the ash pan, watering, cleaning, etc.) A caboose? Is it the items that john lea mentioned in his beginning post?

Anyhow, thanks for the lesson ahead of time...[:)]

Tom

[cwaldman]

I have heard of caboose service. In a Kalmbach book, Trackside Scenes You Can Model page 16, they speak to converting an old caboose car into a service shed. Storing basic non-perishable supplies. Wood, coal, torpedos (I have no clue) and flares etc. The caboose in the picture was actually lettered "Caboose supplies and caboose coal" No particular building was mentioned. Of course i would imagine a building may be used in place of the old car. However, i would think it would be trackside.

I have definitely heard of caboose tracks and i imagine that it was off of this track where you could find the old car shed etc.

It is definitely a great modeling opportunity as you could probably explain and/or justify pretty much any set up depending on the amount of traffic the line sees.

If there is one thing you find in this hobby, it that there really is not limit to how you model something. Somewhere in the country, there was probably a fairly decent caboose service area, and likewise other places had nothing for them, to a very modest shed.

[Anonymous]

Like any other freight car, a caboose needed to be inspected to see that the couplers and draft gear were in good repair; that air brake and hand brake equipment and rigging (and brake shoes) were within permissible limits; that the safety appliances (grab bars, ladders, steps, etc.) were intact; that the trucks and wheels were sound, the journals, packings and bearings in safe condition and the journal oil at the necessary level.

In addition, a caboose needed to have intact and operable windows, doors and locks. Supplies for operation of the car had to be replenished, including coal or oil for stoves; kerosene and/or batteries for lamps; fusees, torpedoes and flags for flagging purposes; water for drinking, cooking and sanitation; tools and parts for repairs on the road (including hammers, wrenches, fire extinguishing materials, etc.; and knuckles, pins, journal packing materials, air hoses and gaskets). And there was always paperwork, so forms had to be stocked.

[tstage]

cwaldman & fiverings,

Thank you for the education! That makes sense. The supplies, I would imagine, would be checked fairly often. But how often would the maintenance items be checked? More than once a month?

I also didn't want to take away from john leas original posted question, "Has anyone modeled a cab track?" I'd appreciate you answering his question first before continuing to pander to my nievity.

Thanks again! [:)]

Tom

[Anonymous]

torpedos (I have no clue) These were explosives used as warning devices. Real useful in the days before radio. Railroads had procedures in their use to allow enough distance from a rail incident and the number to asure that following train crews heard them.

[Jetrock]

Torpedoes: These were a small explosive charge inside a strip of soft metal. If you are familiar with the little paper "snap-caps", little polliwog-shaped bits of paper that you throw against the ground and they make a SNAP, the principle is similar. If a train had to stop in an emergency, a brakeman would run down the track a ways and strap a torpedo to the track. A train coming up on the rear of the stopped train would hit the torpedo, which would produce a loud BANG! and alert the train crew that they had better stop soon or smash into the next train's caboose!

Fusees: Essentially the same as the modern magnesium road flares used to warn folks on the highway of danger, except with a nail in the base. These were lit and jammed into the ties between the tracks to provide a visual warning cue to back up the audible warning of the torpedoes.

I have a small caboose track on my yard, although it is single-ended (well, so is my yard.) Right now it just has a little shed but I plan on littering the area with more scenic detail in the near future.

[john lea]

Sounds to me like you guys know about what a cab was was used for alright. To answer tstages question on how often would they service the cabs.. well for the cab supplies it was done every time it hit he cab track, the inspections of the running gear, wheels, barings ond so on, every time it hit the servive track. Note: The bearings, back in those days were brass lined with babit (sp) that was very strong and ware well. The journal box had waste, which was like a big ball of very soft cloth waste with a pad around the top of the axel. The journal box also had to be oiled at the end of the run.. speaking journal boxes all the cars, boxes, flats, tanks etc. and even some of the pony and trailer trucks of the engs. had them.
Back to the cab: Johncolleys replay is correct in that the cabs were rotated according to the condrs. going out on the call.
Like I said, for anything major, off to the rips,
Well, depending on the era, a supply track building coud be modeled after angthing, abuilding or and old passenger car, a caboose, box car, even an old shed, I have an old cab that I use for the yard office right now. My wife is as involved in the hobby as I am and she makes the signs and decals righ here on this old computer. Neet stuff!!
Of course every cab had to have water for drinking and for the track flu***oilet. They also needed ice to cool the dringing water and keep their perishables cold.
On very hot days we would take a block of the ice and set it on a platform that we build just below the window of the leading end of the cab. and as we moved forword the air would blow across it and WALLA air conditioning!! Thanks again for all your replies and have a very merry Christmas and I hope you get all those models you asked for, but if you were you might only get COAL, not all bad you can use it for your cabs or engs, ha ha john P.S. any questions please don't hesitate to e-mail me.

[cwaldman]

John;

thanks for that information. Wonderful stuff. That is what is so nice about these forums. One question leads to such things. Before you know it, all of our knowledge has grown.

Cletus

[cacole]

Normally, the Conductor and Brakemen who rode in a caboose would be responsible for keeping it properly stocked with food, water, flares, tools, etc., and would perform a walk-around safety inspection every time they went on duty. Remember, the Conductor rode in the caboose and was in charge of the entire train, so he undoubtedly wanted to make sure the caboose was in top notch condition at all times, since his own life and the safety of his crew depended on it.