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I live near the old B&O line in western Pa. They (CSX) still have a caboose that sits on a siding and they use it. I know because I tried to trade for it in exchange for some property use. I think they use it as an office and to store tools not at the end of trains..
Instead of this caboose I got this neat fence installed circa 1922 that came for an old railroad bridge that was replaced. Click on photo to enlarge
"New" fence installed
My new layout under construction is in building on right through trees
The UP still uses ex-CNW bay window cabooses for switching industries near O'Hare Airport. There are numerous spurs in the industrial parks, and the trains engage in numerous backup moves and some intricate car-swapping and shunting. It's more efficient, and safer, for the brakemen to work from the rear of the train than from the locomotive, which may be hundreds of feet from the cars needing to be set out.
Of course, cabooses are long gone from long distance trains, as far as I know.
Cabooses (now frequently refered to as "Shoving Platforms" by the railroads) are used when union rules decree them to be used - usually it's when a train has to make a long backup move. It's safer for the conductor to ride on the platform of the caboose rather than hanging on the side of the last freight car. It's usually the case that the caboose interior has been gutted and the doors have been welded shut.
We have a couple of trains in the Richmond, VA area that still use cabooses. The daily local between Richmond and Crewe uses one because the train has to back up between the former NW yard in Crewe, VA and the connection with the former SOU line. CSX has one on the Clopton local (lots of backing up) and one on one of the locals originating out of Hopewell, VA (also lots of backing up). This is probably the same case with the CN train you saw.
Check out the recent MTH catalog. The Providence and Worcester Premier Caboose depicted in the catalog is still used by the P&W. Usually you can find it in Cedar Hill yard in CT.
It is used for long shoves and VIP trips.
Paul
CP still uses them for local jobs, and BNSF does too. They just don't go on through freights anymore.
Check out the recent MTH catalog. The Providence and Worcester Premier Caboose depicted in the catalog is still used by the P&W. Usually you can find it in Cedar Hill yard in CT.
It is used for long shoves and VIP trips.
Paul
Has anyone made any P&W locomotives to go with it? I wouldn't mind a locomotive/caboose pair of the road since my grandpa had stock in them and since his passing I've enjoyed getting their calendars. But I haven't seen one in a couple of years.
Check the many previous threads on here about Schnabel cars some of which show photos or videos of cabooses being used on long-distance moves of Schnabel cars with large loads.
Granted that's not a full-fledged mainline train use of a caboose but one that you may occasionally still see.
Doesn’t Kasgro in New Castle, PA own such a caboose?
Bill
We have several jobs here in Southern CA (BNSF) that use a "Shove Car", locals and road switchers. Most have the doors welded shut and crews have to stand on the platform to ride the caboose while shoving.
Norfolk Southern is still using a blue Conrail bay window caboose (it's got to be pretty old, maybe all the way back to Penn Central) on work trains in the Harrisburg, PA area. I see it every so often.
George
Nice pic, I enjoyed the scences.
The Montana Rail Link still uses real cabeese on the locals for switching. The crew rides in the caboose on long reverse moves. These trains are great to watch, I spent some time on the bridge of the Missoula yard.
I wish more manufacturers offered MRL locos. They can even be realistically packaged with an MRL caboose. Neat!
C&O, how central is central? In Joliet we occasionally see a caboose. Its on a local delivery which goes some distance off the mainline and comes to several crossings which have to be flagged. So the conductor rides the caboose as the train is pushed.
We have several jobs here in Southern CA (BNSF) that use a "Shove Car", locals and road switchers. Most have the doors welded shut and crews have to stand on the platform to ride the caboose while shoving.
Saw an ex BN caboose while back on the remnants of the Redlands Loop. They were setting out tank cars for a roofing company off Tippicanoe street. I almost burst out laughing when the brakeman blew the grade crossing signal with a whistle. Didn't make sense to me because just east of the grade crossing there was a run-around track long enough to hold the string of cars.
I live near the old B&O line in western Pa. They (CSX) still have a caboose that sits on a siding and they use it. I know because I tried to trade for it in exchange for some property use. I think they use it as an office and to store tools not at the end of trains..
Instead of this caboose I got this neat fence installed circa 1922 that came for an old railroad bridge that was replaced. Click on photo to enlarge
"New" fence installed
My new layout under construction is in building on right through trees
Matt, your a SP kind of guy. Why don't you buy that one. Don
Matt, your a SP kind of guy. Why don't you buy that one. Don
I would...if I had just won the Lotto. Too expensive to retore it. Matt
The Grand Trunk Western and DT&I Extended-Vision Cabooses used for local and Maintenance trains are still the same as they have been since they were built.
Andrew
Sinclair, the most recent MTH catalog has both the caboose and a GP38 engine. MTH has also done a P&W in earlier catalogs and Atlas has produced a nice Dash 8.
HTH - Paul
Sure enough, I found it. Not sure how I missed it before.
First we were all talking about our last glimpses of steam locos now it is cabin cars we search out. What's next, diesels? Odd-d
Cabooses still on the Union RR? I think the Union was the one with very large 0-10-0
switchers in the stream era. That mihgt be an interesting road to model.
There's a NS local that makes a daily run within a couple of miles of our home. It is almost always carrying a caboose (desperately in need of a paint job!).
Gilly
April 20th, 2012 I saw this CN Caboose carrying the markers in Spokane, WA. The windows were open, so it appeared to be a Real, Honest WORKING Caboose, not just a shoving platform. From what I could see, it looked to be in Very Good condition.
In the Portland,OR area I occaisionally see UP using an old SP bay window crummy(which very ACCURATELY describes it's condition
) on the Kenton line, usually near the Owen Mills Glass plant. I don't know if it is an Honest Caboose, or just a shoving platform, but it's sad condition makes it likely that it is just a shoving platform. Sorry, I don't have any pics of that one.
Doug
We have several jobs here in Southern CA (BNSF) that use a "Shove Car", locals and road switchers. Most have the doors welded shut and crews have to stand on the platform to ride the caboose while shoving.
Saw an ex BN caboose while back on the remnants of the Redlands Loop. They were setting out tank cars for a roofing company off Tippicanoe street. I almost burst out laughing when the brakeman blew the grade crossing signal with a whistle. Didn't make sense to me because just east of the grade crossing there was a run-around track long enough to hold the string of cars.
We only spot 2 industries on the loop now, that's all that's left. The run around at Tippicanoe St is now the end of the line, and the east end was out of service. During the day, the entire loop is out of service so we can only go out there on the graveyard shift. Since the runaround is usually out of service, we either shove out, or shove back.
The caboose on the Corona Local has been restored back to working condition by the crew that works the job. It's really nice inside and out, except the graffiti.
They had one out at Kaiser that a crew was working on. They filled the stove with fuel oil last winter when it was cold. Well, while they were taking a break it caught on fire. Apparently the tank had a crack in it. They woke up because it suddenly started getting really hot inside....lmao They shoved it, back to the Cucamonga Wye where the Fire Station is, ran over there and knocked on their door to ask if they could put the fire out. The fire blew out all the windows and burned everything that was left inside. Last I saw it, they sent it to Barstow on the Kaiser Hauler and was going to be scrapped. It sat in the old oil spur in Barstow for a couple days, and then disappeared.
All caboose doors are once again welded, locked with bars, and verified to remained closed! 
http://www.sterlingrail.com/classifieds/Listings.php?type=Caboose&fsw=FS
For the price of a few O-scale locomotives, you can own your caboose.
Mlavender480,
Mike, you are absolutly correct, the Union Railroad trestle over Brown Avenue/Beulah Rd in Turtle Creek has the Cabooses setting on it from time to time, sometimes more than one, especially when switching coal cars around. I will try to remember to keep the camera in the Expedition and get some pictures for ya sometime. I want some pictures of the original Green switcher engine and Green Caboose anyway.
PCRR/Dave
We have several jobs here in Southern CA (BNSF) that use a "Shove Car", locals and road switchers. Most have the doors welded shut and crews have to stand on the platform to ride the caboose while shoving.
Saw an ex BN caboose while back on the remnants of the Redlands Loop. They were setting out tank cars for a roofing company off Tippicanoe street. I almost burst out laughing when the brakeman blew the grade crossing signal with a whistle. Didn't make sense to me because just east of the grade crossing there was a run-around track long enough to hold the string of cars.
We only spot 2 industries on the loop now, that's all that's left. The run around at Tippicanoe St is now the end of the line, and the east end was out of service. During the day, the entire loop is out of service so we can only go out there on the graveyard shift. Since the runaround is usually out of service, we either shove out, or shove back.
The caboose on the Corona Local has been restored back to working condition by the crew that works the job. It's really nice inside and out, except the graffiti.
They had one out at Kaiser that a crew was working on. They filled the stove with fuel oil last winter when it was cold. Well, while they were taking a break it caught on fire. Apparently the tank had a crack in it. They woke up because it suddenly started getting really hot inside....lmao They shoved it, back to the Cucamonga Wye where the Fire Station is, ran over there and knocked on their door to ask if they could put the fire out. The fire blew out all the windows and burned everything that was left inside. Last I saw it, they sent it to Barstow on the Kaiser Hauler and was going to be scrapped. It sat in the old oil spur in Barstow for a couple days, and then disappeared.
All caboose doors are once again welded, locked with bars, and verified to remained closed!
I'm presuming the two industries left are the roofing company at Tippicanoe and the Lumber Yard south of Mill street. Too bad the line is dying. I remember watching them switch the Milling company at Texas street.,
Really funny about the stove incident. I can just imagine the crew writing up the report on that.
My understanding is that the line is going to be used by Metrolink or SanBag/Omni down the road. They cut in a siding off E Street a few years back. By the way, some dirt bag stole the wig wag off Nevada Street...before I could steal the wig wag off Nevada Street.
Thanks for the info. Didn't know you worked that switch job.
Colorado hirailer........That Union 0-10-0 is on display in Greenville Pa.
It is a unique locomotive with a booster tender.
The union has many Bay window Cabeese still in use.
Harley,
Great Pictures way to go!
PCRR/Dave
I still like cabooses, they are one of my favorite railcars, they served many a purpose.
Depending on the era modeled, cabooses were used for both steam and diesel powered freight trains.
But, money talks and most cabs. had to roll away!
Ralph
There'll always be a caboose running on my layout. 
On more than one occasion, while living in the Chicago area, I saw a caboose at the end of a freight train. It was always a thrill when this happened.
This ones from Macungie,Pa on the NS Reading line. Air Products uses it on there heat exchanger moves.
Here's one I saw in Kankakee, Il. in 2006:
And this pair in Roanoke, Va. August 2012
NS Croxton Yard caboose at Campbell Hall, NY
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