Rich Melvin posted:The caboose that was first out on the cab track went on the next train - period.
Well Rich, there was a time when cabs were assigned to conductors and their cab went on the train they were called for. Their cabs were where many a crew spent their time at the away from home terminal and crews kept their personal items on their cabs. Yard crews had to dig certain cabs out of the cab tracks to put on the right trains.
Later on (late '60s) when the "Pool Cab" agreements went into effect, through freight conductors lost their assigned cabs for a certain minuscule amount of extra pay. Turnaround locals and outlying shifters kept their assigned cabs.
Then EOT's came along and the through freights lost their cabs altogether. Local freights may have kept their cabs for a time, but, even they were eventually gone with the exception of jobs that might require long shove moves. I which case, a cab was provided for a crew member to ride on instead of having to hang on the side of a car.
Still, as for turning, it didn't happen on purpose.
