Caboose Rule/Law

I live in WV and CSX runs through town. Sometimes when they run smaller trains (under 20 cars) they put, what looks like an unmanned caboose on the end. Now I have been told that this is due to some union rule or railroad operating procedure.

Does anyone have more information on this?

Could be a couple of reasons. One could be that the crew will need to make an extended shoving move sometime during the trip and wants/needs somewhere for the conductor to ride rather than the side of a rail car. There are some cars that can't be ridden due to operating rules. But, most folks aren't too thrilled about having to ride extended distances. By extended distances, I mean a couple of miles.

WSH wrote:I live in WV and CSX runs through town. Sometimes when they run smaller trains (under 20 cars) they put, what looks like an unmanned caboose on the end. Now I have been told that this is due to some union rule or railroad operating procedure.

Does anyone have more information on this?

Depending on where in Charleston you live, you're seeing one of the 3-4 shifters that work the customers along the line. For instance, the Gauley shifter (aka the Gauley Trolley) generally has a caboose, because of the lengthy reverse moves required for it to switch across the river. CSX doesn't want a conductor hanging off a tank car across the bridge at Gauley.

Loyd L.

In the nineties I used to see a caboose on a Guilford 1 engine, 3 car, 1 caboose train. This run was just a short run about three miles on a spur from the Boston yard. But it traveled over two bridges. Could it be they just don't want to use a EOT device.

Why would they not want to use an EOT?

BR&P wrote:Why would they not want to use an EOT?

I don't know. Just putting it out there because cabooses cancel it out.

A caboose in place of a FRED is like killing a mosquito with a ball bat. Gotta be a safety or contract issue.

An EOT won't apply emergency braking or sound the horn if a person is standing in the tracks or a car is stopped on a crossing during a reverse move. The caboose is only for the reverse moves so there's someone on the head end to keep an eye out for obstructions. On regular switching moves, like down a siding, the conductor can simply hang off the ladder on the side of a car. When a reverse move is required to go an extended distance, say a few miles, which would cause fatigue to set in making it harder for the conductor to hold on, or the train goes through unfavorable areas like a long narrow bridge where falling from the train would likely result in more than a little bruise, then a caboose (or "riding car") is used. Some railroads will also use a second locomotive for these moves if a caboose is unavailable.

Guilford Rail System used to do these operations with an old burned-out caboose. It was only used for the end platforms, as the interior was not usable. The doors were welded shut, with "do not occupy" painted on them.

For what it's worth the trains usually consist of tanker or box cars, or a mix of the two.