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What is the current use for a caboose?
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Cabooses now days are only good for use on work trains. I worked as a brkmn on a rail train couple yrs back where the mtce crew was dumping welded rail. This job had a BN cab that was able to ride inside of it but the car was not equipped--that is no running water or electric power. Basically my job was to watch the shove on reverse moves. Other that that I kept the car clean, well stocked w/drinking water, had lots of food on hand and stuff to read. This is what you title kjb--kick back jack. Did this for about two months until the job was abolished. Several BNSF yd jobs in KS use cabooses for the crew to have a 'rider car". To me this is somewhat silly. The main reason the rr is providing these cars is so they will not have to pay a HO code for riding the side of a car on a reverse move for over one mile. This pays 25 miles which is about $38.00. Figure that a crew working 5 days per wk, this comes out to an extra $190.00 weekly. That is over $9000. a yr . If I had a choice I would rather not have the silly caboose to mess with and be able to claim my HO code and collect more money that only will go into the bank for retirement.
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