Caboose #9384

Caboose #9384. . , For over 100 years the caboose was as much a part of the freight train as the locomotive. Placed at the end of the train, the caboose was home to the conductor brakeman and flagman providing a vantage point for trainmen to watch for signs of trouble and living quarters where men slept, cooked, ate and caught up on paperwork. Now the end of the train has seen the end of its era replaced by an EOT (End Of Train device) that is safer and cheaper to maintain. , Caboose #9384 was given to the city of McComb by the Mid South Railroad, after having acquired it from ICRR. She often saw service out of the McComb yards harboring men from McComb as well as other locations. Normally a crew that was assigned to a caboose stayed with that particular caboose. Although we think of the red caboose's exterior the interiors were often painted and decorated in a way to suit the tastes of the crew with such trappings as curtains, artwork, easy chairs, and an array of personalized touches. Some crews were legendary for their culinary skills preparing meals as simple as hot cakes or as varied and delicious as a holiday feast., In Loving Memory , Richard L Statham - Conductor - ICRR , James Monroe Reeves - Superintendent - McComb Car Shop - ICRR