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  • DL&W bobber cabooses

  • Discussion relating to the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western, the Erie, and the resulting 1960 merger creating the Erie Lackawanna. Visit the Erie Lackawanna Historical Society at http://www.erielackhs.org/.
Discussion relating to the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western, the Erie, and the resulting 1960 merger creating the Erie Lackawanna. Visit the Erie Lackawanna Historical Society at http://www.erielackhs.org/.

Moderator: blockline4180

 #564748  by henry6
 
It actually looks like a DL&W wooden caboose sawed off in front of the coupula! The four wheel bobbers of the DL&W did not have coupulas as I recall from pictures I have seen. For information on the caboose in your picture, I would suggest you look to the M&E for the answer. OK! OK! I just looked in Taber's M&E book and it shows a picture of the caboose you show saying it came from the Lackawanna when the M&E decided it needed a caboose in the late '30's; and that the Lackawanna was getting rid of the wooden cabooses about then and it lasted on the M&E to about 1950. But that's all he says.
 #565096  by nydepot
 
They built over 400. My understanding is there was a mix of cupola and no cupola cabooses with the cupola ones being later. There was also some retrofitting. The ones I'm research have cupolas and came that way from the DL&W.

Charles
 #568337  by henry6
 
Worst story, from my point of view. About 25 years ago there was a wooden cabosse in a back yard along NY Rt 12 against the bank of the Chenango River in Brisben, a DL&W 4 wheel bobber sans wheels and trucks used as a childrens play house, etc. I sought out the owner and through a daughter was able to write to an older lady then retired to Florida. I asked her about the caboose mentioning how interesting and valuable it was historically, how there were poeple who would love to buy it, museums and historical societies who would love to have it, even suggesting several groups in Upstate NY who might be interested in helping preserve history. The reply from this woman was basically that we never know what we really have and how valauable it might be to others. That's it, that's all she said. Within less than a year from that letter the kids had burned it to the ground. I still get upset when I drive past the site and when I see derelict historical, especiallly rail historical, pieces being neglected like that bobber was.
 #568379  by Cactus Jack
 
I remember that caboose. Often thought of taking a pic of it from the road but never did. I don't know that I knew it was a DL&W bobber. Was there not another caboose there, or very close by ??

Damn it all that this stuff cannot be saved.
 #568385  by Aa3rt
 
Charles, Here's a photo of a Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern bobber, supposedly built to DL&W plans, in the Angelica, NY shops on display at the Angelica Fairgrounds.

http://www.psnrrhs.org/caboose175.html

Some basic dimensions I have from a line drawing presented in the "Cannonball", the newsletter of the PS&NRRHS:

Car width: 9'0"
Cupola width: 9' 4 1/2"

Length:

Center axle to center axle: 9' 3"
Car end to end: 14' 8"
Platform end to platform end: 19' 4"

Height:

Rail to rooftop (carbody) centerline: 11' 0 1/8"
Rail to cupola centerline: 13' 8 5/8"
Rail to cupola edge: 13' 0 5/8"

PM me if you'd like a photocopy of the drawing.
 #568401  by henry6
 
Cactus Jack wrote:I remember that caboose. Often thought of taking a pic of it from the road but never did. I don't know that I knew it was a DL&W bobber. Was there not another caboose there, or very close by ??

Damn it all that this stuff cannot be saved.
Yeah. Two D&H end coupola's, one in back next to the DL bobber and the other a few feet further north on RT12.
 #573146  by chnaus
 
Charles, there was one of these critters next to the old mill in Wadsworth,30 years ago.
It moved to the east side of Geneseo and later to Grovland Center.
It was still there about 5 years ago.

chnaus
 #1064374  by Cactus Jack
 
I have heard that there is a recent offering for modelers for DL&W bobber cabooses.

What I think I understand is that the yellow did not appear until after 1900 ? Truesdale era ? And before 1900 they were some sort of red color. So question being, what shade of red were the 1880 - 1900 cabooses and how might they have been lettered and what numbers were on the roster in that period ?

Were all pre-1900 cabooses bobbers on DL&W ?

Also I understand that cupolas were a post 1900 addition ?

Any clarifications are most welcome

Thanks