I believe - and this is speculation, not based on specific fact -
the cupola was sometimes built toward one end was for heating
purposes. Usually - not always - under the cupola was where the
closets and lockers were and with those near the end, the rest of
the interior was like one room and easier to keep warm. Maybe they
figured that since heat rises the warmth would find its way up into
the cupola.
Until about the 1960's or 1970's, a railroad's cabooses, waycars,
cabin cars, vans, buggies, or whatever name they were given, were as
distinct as the motive power since the railroads made them at their
own shops. Someone who has made a hobby of them can see a photo of
a caboose with no lettering or number, yet immediately identify it
as a Milwaukee, a B&O, CB&Q, whatever. Obviously there WERE
oddballs here and there but usually there was an unmistakable family
resemblance.
Don
I have no knowledge about the preference for the
cupola location other than
discussions on this List over the years. I have
notes of one discussion involving
Russ Strodtz, John Mitchell, Marshall Thayer and
others. Evidently, the
preference was a personal thing, more common in some
districts than in others. But
that was on the Burlington
in “recent” years, rather than the Pacific Short
Line in 1890.
Presumably the company’s management had a reason for
this style.
What was the reason for the cupola being at one end?
Improved layout space, ease
of movement within the way car, ease of construction
or what?
Rupert Gamlen
Auckland NZ
Very
interesting, and a long and
interesting life they led! Thanks for the research
and details.
The only thing I would question is the remark about
no turning facilities
dictating a center cupola. Obviously their creation
was long before any
of us and I can't speak for how men thought. But in
my own time on the
railroad I never once encountered a conductor who
cared which way his caboose
was moving. There was no front or rear, and it
never mattered whether the
cupola was on the lead or trailing end in direction
of travel.
I don't claim to know it all and it is possible that
at some location or other
a man or men wanted his/their caboose oriented a
certain way. But I have
never read any mention in various publications or
books about having to wye or
spin a caboose to get it "right".
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