Would a typical pre-1980 local freight use caboose at the end? If so, doesn't that complicate local deliveries by having to uncouple caboose before pickups are made and attached at the end of the train? Perhaps I'm using a wrong term - by "local freights" I'm thinking a train serving industries between two yards. Thanks ig
There were many ways that local freights handled set-outs and pickup of freight cars. The primary concern was that trainmen not have to do an overwhelming amount of walking. Typically most work was done from the head end of the train. Prior to the 80's most trains had either a 4 or 5 man crew, typically 3 on the head end and two in the caboose. Boh the conductor and engineer had a real good idea of the work that needed to be done at each stop. Hand signals have long been used in railroading and by the 1960's it was kind of unusual for a crew not to have one or two "handy-talkies" available. During normal working hours either someone at the industry would direct what was to be done or if an agent was available, he'd tell the head end crew the work required. After normal working hours a "switch list" would be left by the industry (in most of the cases I'm aware of, a regular mailbox located at the head of the siding). Many times I've watched an 80 - 100 car train, cut the crossings at two roads, pull 4 or 5 loads, spot whatever amount of empties needed, couple up and speed off - the conductor/rear brakie never making an appearance at the head of the train. While any engineer was willing to back a long cut of cars, from the engineers and crewmen I talked to, it was not a favorite thing to do.
Thanks for replies. So if I understand this right, essentially with each consecutive pickup of empties, the caboose would move closer to loco?
