Caboose on train coming down Horseshoe Curve

[alphas]

I couldn't sleep so was watching the rail cam at the Horseshoe Curve tonight.   I was just getting ready to leave it when a short east bound came through with just a few cars, including several with new tractors on them, and there on the end was a caboose.   That is the first time I've seen one at the end of a train in years.   A real blast from the past.

[daveklepper]

With NS markings?

[BaltACD]

alphas

I couldn't sleep so was watching the rail cam at the Horseshoe Curve tonight.   I was just getting ready to leave it when a short east bound came through with just a few cars, including several with new tractors on them, and there on the end was a caboose.   That is the first time I've seen one at the end of a train in years.   A real blast from the past.

What you are describing sounds like a Special Train move.  Some form of high value clearance implicated shipments that the manufacturer of the equipment desires to have some of the manufacturers key personnel on board as 'Riders' to supervise if their develops situations that require specialized information to resolve.

Special Trains with riders are not THAT unusual, their cost is that high.  Railroad employees would not be occupying the caboose.

[daveklepper]

Would there not normally be one railroad employee in addition to the shipper's people?

[alphas]

That could be it although I don't know why several flat car loads of what appeared to be smaller sized normal farm tractors would get special attention.   The interior of the caboose was lit up which also surprised me.   I also don't know why it had multiple engines pulling such a short, light load--the other 6 or so cars were empty flats.   I could not tell if the caboose had NS markings.

[Semper Vaporo]

It could have been deadheading back to its home terminal.  Or on its way to a particular job.

[BaltACD]

alphas

That could be it although I don't know why several flat car loads of what appeared to be smaller sized normal farm tractors would get special attention.   The interior of the caboose was lit up which also surprised me.   I also don't know why it had multiple engines pulling such a short, light load--the other 6 or so cars were empty flats.   I could not tell if the caboose had NS markings.

Presuming that it was headed Eastbound - the tractors may be moving in Special Train service in order to arrive at a Eastern port to make a specific vessel for export.  Ships don't provide daily service to their ports of call.  At best it is weekly and more likely monthly.  If the tractors miss this month's sailing, they will have to stay at the port until next monthl's sailing.  The shipper would know why Special Train service was requested and the purpose of the riders moving with the shipment.

NS may be using the train to ferry excess or dead power to a location of use or repair.  Not all trains on PSR carriers are operated at maximum tonnage for the power assigned.

[dubch87]

There is a former N&W caboose that hangs out on the NS main near Gastonia, NC. The first time I saw it was a year or two ago on the rear of a loaded coal train at one of the I-85 overpasses. I'm assuming it was heading for the Allen steam plant at Belmont. Do they need extra crew for such a move?

 Looking at Google Street View, it's used fairly frequently.

Aerial View
Street View 1
Street View 2
Street View 3

Here's another one in Roanoke.

[BaltACD]

dubch87

There is a former N&W caboose that hangs out on the NS main near Gastonia, NC. The first time I saw it was a year or two ago on the rear of a loaded coal train at one of the I-85 overpasses. I'm assuming it was heading for the Allen steam plant at Belmont. Do they need extra crew for such a move?

 Looking at Google Street View, it's used fairly frequently.

Aerial View
Street View 1
Street View 2
Street View 3

Here's another one in Roanoke.

The railroad cabooses that are still owned by the railroads are considered 'shoving platforms'.  They are used on jobs that have 'serious' back up moves as a normal part of their duties.  The shoving platform give the person protecting the lead end of the back up move a safe place to ride - rather than hanging on the side of a car for the duration of the move that can be a mile or more in length.

A 'caboose' to be occupied by railroad train service employees has to have a number of 'facilities' in operating order to be a operable caboose.  None of those facilities need to operate on a 'shoving platform'.  In many cases shoving platforms have their windows plated over and their doors welded shut.

[blue streak 1]

dubch87

Here's another one in Roanoke. 

Yes and 3 in the background if you rotate the view.

[JPS1]

BaltACD

 The railroad cabooses that are still owned by the railroads are considered 'shoving platforms'.  

I saw a BNSF caboose yesterday in Temple.  It had Shoving Platform labelled on the side.  It was at the front of a short string of cars that were being pushed by a single locomotive.