|
Caboose by Brian Solomon & John Gruber w/ Dust Jacket.
Caboose by Biran Solomon & John Gruber
Hard cover with Dust Jacket.
Copyright 2001. MBI Publishing Company
156 pages. Indexed.
Contents
Foreword and Introduction
1 /A Short History of the Caboose
2/Caboose Anatomy
3/Caboose Stories
4/A Day in the Life of a Caboose
5/Office and Home
6/Owning a Railroad Caboose
7/The Slow Demise of the Caboose
8/The Caboose Today
Index
Whether known as a caboose. a conductor's car, a van, a waycar or by more colorful names like 'hack" or 'crummy: the Mile car at the end of the long freight train Is one of the most popular and celebrated pieces of railroad equipment. Fist designed from spare boxcars as a conductor's office-on-wheels. the caboose quickly became a more specialized component of the train. In addition to cupola or bay windows that allowed the crew to monitor the train and tracks en route, the caboose was fitted with furniture, stoves. and other basics that made It a place for eating. steeping, and card playing during the long days and nights on the rods. Standard caboose designs emerged across the Industry, but most railroads built their own cars to their own specifications, and each conductor fitted it with his own personal amenities.
Caboose presents a thorough and engaging picture of this colorful bit of railroad history. Incorporating both historical records and firsthand accounts from longtime conductors. the book reveals the romantic-and not-so-romantic-side of life on the rails as told by the men who lived it. from the sometimes trying work of switching trains to the playful practical Jokes between trainmen. Author Brian Solomon tells of his own toiling experience riding in o caboose as a young boy, and railroader Forrest Van Schwartz shares his saga of purchasing a retired Canadian caboose. Vintage and modern photographs illustrate these compelling stories and provide a colorful display of the variety of caboose designs. Caboose is a picturesque and personal study of a true American Icon.
About the Authors
Brian Solomon is one of the most gifted talents in the railroad hobby today. He has authored many books an railroads, and his writings and photographs have been featured in the most popular railfan publications around the world, including Trains. Railway Age, Passenger Train Journal and RailNews.
John Gruber. president of the Center for Railroad Photography and Art, has been a freelance railroad photographer since 1960. He is managing editor of Railroad History and a contributing editor to Classic Trans. In 199d, Gruber received o railroad history award from The Railway & Locomotive Historical Society for lifetime achievement in photography.
Introduction
The caboose-an enduring symbol of traditional railroading-is as much a part of our railroad heritage as the steam locomotive, semaphore signal, and country railroad station. An endless list of common names, such as van, wagon, cabin, and waycar in addition to caboose (expletives deleted), suggests how diverse the slang and operating practices were among railroads tied together by a standard track gauge. A Wisconsin railroader, Delrosa Bruns, summarizes the role of the caboose. Since Delrosa and Bill, her husband, worked as agent-operators on the Milwaukee Road's Madison Division, she and their three daughters had easy access to the car. "You could ride up in the cupola, you could ride on the deck, you could ride with the window open," she said. "The caboose was just like a little home. It had a stove in there, there were sort of bunk-type seats you could lie down on if you wanted to. It was just a fun place to be."
"That's where a lot of the stories were told over the years. This one guy on the crew always wanted a Christmas tree from along the bank on the right-of-way. One day they were stopped at Stoughton, and he had gone to the office. So the two trainmen cut down a tree and dragged it in from the rear of the caboose. When the guy came to get on the caboose, he couldn't get in the door. He couldn't pull the tree out because the caboose was at the end of the train, and they pushed it with the butt end up against the boxcar that was ahead of it. So that was a lot of fun; at least he got his Christmas tree.
"Little pranks that the guys pulled on each other to break the monotony of the work. Whether it was hot, cold, icy, or snow-whatever-those train crews really slaved, but they were successful, and they were wonderful guys to work with."
Delrosa may have been more charitable than some-conductors, who were in charge of the train, also could be cranky and cantankerous. But that's the purpose of this text-to tell not only the history of the car hut as well its human side as an office and home away from home for the workers, and its safety functions. Two full chapters are devoted to the experiences of the railroaders, who on some days spent more time in the caboose than at home. For a car that draws so much attention, its origins in the 1840s and 1850s are surprisingly vague. The story begins in Chapter 1 and continues throughout the hook. Sometimes cabooses took on additional roles. For example, an enterprising photographer on the Union Pacific turned a caboose into a photo car in the 1870s. In the early years, conductors "owned" their cabooses (they were assigned to them by the railroad company). While the railroad maintained the exterior, crews generally could modify the interior to suit their individual tastes-as along as they kept the cars clean. Today, many cabooses are individually owned for museum or chamber-of-commerce displays or backyard ornaments. The role is different, but they still are attention-grabbers.
All pictures are of the actual item. There may be reflection from the lights in some photos. We try to take photos of any damage. If this is a railroad item, this material is obsolete and no longer in use by the railroad. Please email with questions. Publishers of Train Shed Cyclopedias and Stephans Railroad Directories. Large inventory of railroad books and magazines. Thank you for buying from us.
Shipping charges
US Shipments: When you add multiple items to your cart, the reduced shipping charges will automatically be calculated. For direct postage rates to other countries, send me an email. Shipping varies by weight.
Terms and conditions
All sales are final. Returns accepted if item is not as described. Contact us before making a return. No warranty is stated or implied. Please e-mail us with any questions before bidding or buying.
Thanks for looking at our items.
| 
