another caboose ? for ohio and/or indiana fans

[jimrice4449]

I've noticed in some tapes I have and in published photos that some B&O and NKP trains have a converted box car/caboose cut in just behind the engine. I've always assumed that this was due to a state full crew law. Since it doesn't seem to be universal, I suspect it only applied to trains with switching work enroute. Good guess?
I know that our here in the Pacific NW the GN used to run an extra board brakeman from Spokane to the Idaho line east of Newport (about 50 miles) This was long before my time and I don't know if they deadheaded him back or he waited around to fill out the crew of the next westbound.

[ValleyX]

Yes, it's the rider car for the third brakeman on locals. The C&O used them, at least they did on former Hocking Valley territories.

[coborn35]

Yeah, usually the third brakeman got off at his stop while the train continued on but this is not true for all area's.

[ValleyX]

In the old days, lots of locals had a third man, mandated more by labor agreements or past practices instead of law, as New York and Indiana full crew laws were. (Did other states ever have full crew laws requiring four trainmen?) You are correct, at least for Indiana, the third brakeman usually got off at a border town and I know of cases where the fireman even got off after entering a state that didn't require same.