Re: Eight wheel Caboose on C&Sng?

Posted by Jim Courtney on
URL: http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Eight-wheel-Caboose-on-C-Sng-tp488p1935.html

I also doubt that the diagonal rods from cupola end wall to roof are really braces; the open end window suggests to me that they are a form of safety grab for use by the brakemen to enter or leave the cupola of the caboose via the roof, without falling off the train while doing so.  Since the car has a center cupola, and roof walks on both ends, there are diagonal "braces" on each end. The only cupola roof grabs are again over the end windows.
 
The 1912 photo of rebuilt and recently renumbered 1003, coupled to engine 44, shows the car has a roof walk on the long car body end only. Visible are lateral roof walks next to the cupola, again at the long car body end only. It also has these diagonal "braces", but only on the end of the coupola with the roof walk and lateral roof walk.  Having recently been rebuilt within 3 years, with a new cupola, I dobt that it needed its cupola "braced".

I'm working in the hospital today, will try to post the photo of 1003 from my home computer tomorrow, to illustrate my point.