Caboose

Before they were retired in 1984, cabooses were a familiar sight to folks who encountered trains during their daily routines. While most people nostalgically remember the "little red caboose," it was typical for cabooses to be painted with the railroad's signature colors and emblazoned with their company's logo. Who could forget the sleeping cat of the Chessie Line, the red, white and blue shield of the Union Pacific Railroad or the Pennsylvania Railroad's keystone? However, the caboose served many purposes aside from of that of a moving advertisement.

A Home on Wheels

In the early days of railroading, the conductor, whose main duty was to supervise a train's operation, needed space. Sure he could share space in the engine with the brakeman, engineer and fireman, but there was barely enough room to stand, much less for the conductor and his desk.

Freight trains could easily contain thousands of dollars worth of merchandise, manufactured goods, fresh produce and bulk commodities with each packed into its own railcar. Each car, with its accompanying paperwork, had to be added to the train in relation to when and where it would be dropped. All of this had to be sorted, recorded and reported by the conductor. Desperate for space, conductors would commandeer old boxcars or coax railroads to build a shanty and place it on a flat car in order to have a place to efficiently carry out the train's business, thus, the caboose came into being.

Before federal laws regulated how long people could work continuously, it was not uncommon for railroad men to work 16 hours or more without rest and often without food. The advent of the caboose provided a place for train crews to cook meals, wash clothes and rest. It became a home-away-from-home for many as the crew's run ended before the train reached its final destination. The caboose would be uncoupled from the train and parked, leaving the crew with something similar to a modern-day motor home as most cabooses came equipped with beds, storage closets, an ice box, sink, desk and stove - all the comforts of home! Frequently, conductors' wives would make it even more comfortable by adding touches such as curtains, cushions and quilts for the beds.

A Useful Lookout

It soon became apparent the conductor would need to keep an eye on this long jostling collection of cars in order to avoid losing his precious cargo. Fire was not the only calamity that could wreak havoc. Defective and dragging equipment could cause damage or slow the train's progress, bringing financial burden on the railroad if goods were not delivered when promised. The conductor needed a lookout, but cutting a hole in the roof of the caboose wasn't comfortable or safe. Sources are not clear as to who invented the cupola, but it is clear that cupolas afforded the conductor and other crew members a safe and somewhat comfortable 360-degree view of the train while en route.

As you look around our caboose you will notice that the all-wooden cabin is mounted on a metal railroad truck, which includes the wheel apparatus and breaking mechanism. Look closer you will see a box-type item with a hinged lid attached near the wheels. This is called the journal box or "hot box". Before the mid-20th century, this box housed the axle bearings on railcars. Oil-soaked rags or cotton, collectively called packing, were stuffed into the box to slowly leak oil onto the axle to reduce the friction of the axle bearing against the truck frame. When oil leaked or dried out, the bearings were liable to become overheated and start a fire that could destroy the entire car and any others coupled to it.

A Railroad from the North

The MKT, or Katy as it was known, was the first railroad to enter Texas from the north. Its primary goal in the 19th Century was to move cargo from Missouri and Kansas through Indian Territory and into Texas. The Katy arrived in Denison, Texas on Christmas Day in 1872 and by 1880 had taken over the Dallas-Denton line which ran through Farmers Branch. By 1882, the Katy had over 600 miles of track in Texas. Ten years later it had 850 miles, and by 1901, over 1000. By 1895, the MKT owned 133 locomotives and 163 cars with earnings of over $1 million in passenger cars and $3 million in freight cars! The MKT operated until 1989 when it merged with the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company.

Move & Restoration

In November 1997, this 1890s wooden caboose was relocated to the Historical Park from the Knox and Kane Railroad in Marienville, Pennsylvania. It was manufactured for the Western Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad and with a centrally-located cupola, a rarity. Though in need of restoration at the time, the caboose retained its original bunks, sink, ice box, hardware and pot belly stove complete with the Pennsylvania Railroad's keystone-shaped logo. We completed restoration in 1998, interpreting it as an 1890s caboose for the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad.