caboose
Sign in to savethumb|A Burlington Northern Railroad|Burlington Northern extended-vision caboose at the end of a train in 1993 thumb|An ex–Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway|Santa Fe Railway caboose used by [[BNSF Railway as a switching platform]]
Article
14 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- History
- Decline
- Types
- Cupola or "standard"
- Bay window
- Extended-vision
- Transfer
- Drover's
- Preservation and reuse
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
thumb|A Burlington Northern Railroad|Burlington Northern extended-vision caboose at the end of a train in 1993 thumb|An ex–Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway|Santa Fe Railway caboose used by [[BNSF Railway as a switching platform]]
A caboose is a crewed North American railroad car coupled at the end of a freight train. Cabooses provide shelter for crew (conductor and flagman) at the end of a train, who were formerly required for rear-end protection in non-signaled territory, switching and shunting; as well as in keeping a lookout for load shifting, damage to equipment and cargo, and overheating axles.