This was a common practice in many divisions of the Q, Many times they would
couple a branchline train to the waycar of a road freight and it would be
pulled to the branch where it would go under its own power. Typical power
for the branchline train was a switcher.
-----Original Message-----
From: haug@i... [mailto:haug@i...]
Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2001 9:19 PM
To: BRHSlist@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [BRHSlist] Re: Caboose in the Middle
--- In BRHSlist@y..., "kujawa's" <ark@b...> wrote:
> Hi everyone.
>
> I noticed that through Galesburg the Q and later the BN ran trains
with a
> caboose part way through the train and one on the rear. I assume
this was
> so they could quickly drop the rear of the train and keep going to
save
> time.
>
> Can anyone explain why and where these trains ran and the reasons
for the
> caboose in the middle. I'm interested in the operations and labor
reasons
> for this if any.
>
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> Roger Kujawa - Morton, Il.
> ark@b...
Roger: Pages out of the Burlington Route Book of Operating Data
Sheets show two waycars for trains 63, 163, 165, and 97. On the west
trains, it appears there was a block of mail cars and second waycar
behind the first waycar. The sheets indicate that the mail block was
for Omaha. Train 63's mail block was delivered to train #101 at
Pacific Jct., and train 163's and 165's was delivered to train #35 at
Pacific Jct. The mail blocks could evidently be easily cut off the
rear of the trains at P. Jct if they were made up in this fashion.
On train 97, the notes indicate that there was a GN-C block and second
waycar behind the first waycar to expedite delivery at Dayton's
Bluff.
I also remember seeing WB's coming into Lincoln with two waycars in
the late 60's, usually in mid to late evening, and this time would be
consistent with the above numbered trains.
Glen Haug
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