what is the purpose of a caboose on a train

Best answer

The main use of the caboose was to act as amobile command center for the conductor of the train,who is responsible for ensuring that safety measures are being followed,and that the train delivered its goods safely and in a timely manner.

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Perhaps no other symbol of American railroading has defined the industry as the simple caboose. An endearing piece of equipment, even to the general public, the car was an all too common sight that many folks anticipated watching pass as the end of the train went by.

For years, train watchers waited for the caboose at the end of the train to give the crew a friendly wave while they passed by. So, do railroads still use cabooses? Yes. Cabooses are no longer used on mainline trains, however, they are still used during yard switching.

The caboose allowed the conductor to ensure that the brakes were being applied correctly by giving him a view of the entire train.

A caboose was fitted with red lights called markers to enable the rear of the train to be seen at night. This has led to the phrase 渂ringing up the markers?to describe the last car on a train.