Re: Caboose restrictions
Eric Hansmann
While passed in 1913, the Ohio caboose act did not take effect until July 1919. You can read the full text here.
Section One outlines the main points of the Act.
>>> Except as otherwise provided in this act it shall be unlawful from and after the first day of July 1919 for any common carrier operating a railroad in whole or in part within this state or any manager or division superintendent thereof to require or permit the use upon such railroad within this state of any caboose car or car used for like purpose unless such caboose or other shall be at least twenty four feet in length exclusive platforms and equipped with two four wheel trucks suitable closets and cupola. <<<
As for a Federal law or ICC mandate, I’m unaware of any specifics. I was discussing this with Charlie Vlk at lunch yesterday. He had thought there was a Federal law but I haven’t had time to search for it. I do know the Western Maryland had 137 NE cabooses in the 1926 ORER, and all were 4-wheel bobbers. The WM didn’t get new cabooses until their 8wheel steel cars arrived in 1935.
Ed Bommer notes the B&O usage of their K-1 bobbers deep into the late steam era. The B&O lists 549 4-wheel cabooses in the 1926 ORER, a decent proportion of the overall 1286 cars. Bruce Smith noted the Pennsy use of the ND and NDa cabin cars.
I suspect the main issue was the wood centersills and underframes. Installing a steel centersill on the older 4-wheel cars assured a level of crew safety, but probably didn’t make the cars ride any better. As time went on, these bobbers were relegated to yard, branch, industrial switching duties, and MoW work away from the mainline trains.
Eric Hansmann Murfreesboro, TN
From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io> On Behalf Of Edward
While not in your region of interest, the State of Ohio passed a caboose law in 1913 that affected every railroad operating in or through that state.
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