In 1974 you could buy a Coach ticket and ride in the caboose if you were a shipper and could justify your interest in a specific route or interchange such as UP-Fremont-CNW- Chicago. ATSF-TPW-PRR was not available. The ride was not like in the full dome car on the San Francisco Chief. John

Arnold; the slack action on the rear of a freight train would knock the nostalgia out of you pretty quickly.

Now; I did enjoy a late evening years ago in the rear of a CSX office car attached to the back of the Sunset Limited.  There were four of us in two office cars, a buddy of mine from CSX’s fertilizer business unit, a company photographer and the office car attendant.  After the other two went to bed, my buddy and I sat up enjoying an adult beverage or two while watching Alabama disappear behind us in the track inspection lights.

I remember the engineer of a passing freight radioing the Sunset’s engineer and commenting about having “the bosses” on the rear of the train.  I thought “buddy, if you only knew...”. 😁

Curt

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Has anyone ever done this?

Is it possible to do this today without being a railroad employee? Is it even possible if you are such an employee?

Arnold

Mainline freight trains haven't had cabooses for around 40 years.  Those still in operation that aren't private company escort cabooses for specialty loads are shoving platforms with little to no interior or the doors are welded shut.

Rusty

@Rusty Traque posted:

Mainline freight trains haven't had cabooses for around 40 years.  Those still in operation that aren't private company escort cabooses for specialty loads are shoving platforms with little to no interior or the doors are welded shut.

Rusty

If that is the case, Rusty, then just throw me and my guitar into a box car on a long freight train. I will be like Woody Guthrie in Bound for Glory, a great movie IMO.

LOL, Arnold

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

If that is the case, Rusty, then just throw me and my guitar into a box car on a long freight train. I will be like Woody Guthrie in Bound for Glory, a great movie IMO.

LOL, Arnold

Trying to explain real prototype railroading to some of the "toy train" crowd is becoming quite a chore!

@juniata guy posted:

Arnold; the slack action on the rear of a freight train would knock the nostalgia out of you pretty quickly.

Now; I did enjoy a late evening years ago in the rear of a CSX office car attached to the back of the Sunset Limited.  There were four of us in two office cars, a buddy of mine from CSX’s fertilizer business unit, a company photographer and the office car attendant.  After the other two went to bed, my buddy and I sat up enjoying an adult beverage or two while watching Alabama disappear behind us in the track inspection lights.

I remember the engineer of a passing freight radioing the Sunset’s engineer and commenting about having “the bosses” on the rear of the train.  I thought “buddy, if you only knew...”. 😁

Curt

A lot you know about riding in a caboose! 
Yes, there were some engineers that could be rough from time to time, however, the result of slack action depended more on the type of caboose having a proper cushion underframe more than it did to rough train handling!

@juniata guy posted:

Arnold; the slack action on the rear of a freight train would knock the nostalgia out of you pretty quickly.

 

Curt

Amen!

@Big Jim posted:

A lot you know about riding in a caboose! 
Yes, there were some engineers that could be rough from time to time, however, the result of slack action depended more on the type of caboose having a proper cushion underframe more than it did to rough train handling!

Jim; I guess I was never lucky enough to have you running on the head end.  😉

Curt

@juniata guy posted:

Jim; I guess I was never lucky enough to have you running on the head end.  😉

Curt

Same here! My only long distance ride in a caboose was on the B&O (winter of 1962/1963) from Connelsville back to Cumberland, MD. Absolutely NEVER again!

Arnold in Winnsboro, S.C. their train rides consist of a bunch of cabooses hooked together. here is there Facebook link https://www.facebook.com/SCRMF and here is the web address for it https://scrm.org/?fbclid=IwAR2...IEC57x-wZofLK1IEtAiE

@rtraincollector posted:

Arnold in Winnsboro, S.C. their train rides consist of a bunch of cabooses hooked together. here is there Facebook link https://www.facebook.com/SCRMF and here is the web address for it https://scrm.org/?fbclid=IwAR2...IEC57x-wZofLK1IEtAiE

Obviously NOT on a "long freight train", that he inquired about. 

As a caboose fan, I am glad l got to ride in three narrow gauge cabooses, and their cupolas, two Maine two foot combine cabooses, and the EBT years ago. Wish the Silverton or Cumbres offered that kind of ride.

@Hot Water posted:

 

No, but it seemed his main concern was to ride in a caboose

Riding in a caboose looked fun from an outsider's perspective, and a lot of employees from the past joke about drinking and/or sleeping back there.  It was actually serious work.  A few duties included:

• when standing, telling the engineer when the brakes were kicking off. 
• informing the engineer when the rear of the train started moving.
• informing the engineer when the rear end was over any type of speed restriction.
• reading the failed-equipment-detector that didn't "talk".
• protecting grade crossings on a backup move.
• "lining up behind" upon entering a siding.
• ...and much more.

I always wished I could have deadheaded in a caboose where I could release my mind and enjoy the ride, but the DS knew the bus was faster so that is how we went.

For one summer, maybe about 12 years ago, you could ride in a caboose on the Strasburg RR. It was put on the end of the train that ran on the half hour. I would guess it had a short life due to the logistics of holding just a few people, as well as safety considerations concerning kids. 

Joe; Strasburg has been adding a caboose to their weekend trains since they restarted in late June.

Curt

HI Arnold: I would like to recommend the Steam Railroading Institute at Owasso Michigan.  You can buy one seat on a caboose or the entire caboose for private parties.  This train travels on the Main Lines of Michigan. Check it out at the link below.

https://www.michigansteamtrain.com/

Check out this video on my YT:

Pere Marquette • Berkshire 1225 • 2 8 4 • Steam Railroading Institute • Michigan's Main Line

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZt83PevSyM

Hope this helps: Gary 🚂

They're not doing anything right now, let alone mainline runs.  From their website:

Disclaimer:

The Steam Railroading Institute will be postponing the 2020 opening day and Summer Hours for visits and tours. The Institute will remain closed to the general public until further notice.

Rusty

Hi Arnold:

This is the link to their e-mailing list. Sign up here to receive e-mails on their upcoming excursions. Michigan is now in the process of opening up from COVID-19.  Michigan now has most everything open above the 45th parallel.

https://www.michigansteamtrain...uccess/3480#form3480

We hope they will be able to run their Fall Excursions and the Christmas Trains..

Hope this helps and look forward to seeing you on the 1225. Gary 🚂