Railway Training Caboose
At the rear of every freight train was the caboose, which served many practical purposes for the conductor and rear brakeman. It carried important emergency equipment, and typically was outfitted with a kitchen and sleeping facilities for the train crew. Cabooses normally would not be seen on passenger trains.
Many historians believe that the word "caboose" originated from the French word, camboose, meaning the food preparation cabin on the main deck of a ship, which made its way into American naval terminology around the time of the American Revolution. The origin of the word "caboose" still remains vague, but it had become an accepted term for the last car on a train by 1879.
Caboose lookouts, raised glass cupolas or side bay windows, were provided for the train crew to signal locomotives and following trains, and also to provide a view of their own train operations. Normally, a caboose would either have a cupola or bay windows, but not both.
This caboose was built by the 763rd Railway Battalion in the late 1950s and was originally used for training, which is why it has both the bay windows and the 'Montana Rail Link' cupola, a taller cupola centered on the roof. The base is a 36-foot boxcar, and it contains one small room, one large room, and two bunk areas. It was used for training on Fort Eustis until
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Erected by US Army Transportation Museum.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Forts and Castles • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1879.
Location. 37° 10.008′ N, 76° 34.462′ W. Marker is in Newport News, Virginia. It is in Fort Eustis. Marker can be reached from Washington Boulevard just south of Madison Avenue, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 300 Washington Blvd, Fort Eustis VA 23604, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Railway Snowplow - Spreader - Ditcher Car (a few steps from this marker); M915A4, Truck, Tractor, 14 Ton, 6×4 (Up-Armored) (a few steps from this marker); 0-6-0T Side-Tank Switcher (a few steps from this marker); Model 666, Truck, Prime Mover, 6 Ton, 6×6 (a few steps from this marker); M1070, Truck, Tractor, 8×8 (HET) (a few steps from this marker); Caiman, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP), Category II, 6×6 (a few steps from this marker); Railroad Maintenance Cars (a few steps from this marker); Berlin Duty Train - Guard Car (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Newport News.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 28, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 129 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 28, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
