A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CABOOSE - PART 2 The article entitled A Brief History of the Caboose in last month's Caboose Cable generated this response from member Donald Rozick of Woodville, OH. This information helps to understand why cabooses have been largely retired from service. Thank you for your insight, Mr. Rozick. "The caboose article in the April newsletter was very accurate and informative. However, I would like to add an additional reason for the demise of the caboose, that being employee injuries. Railroad employees are not part of the workers compensation system. They are covered under the Federal Employers Liability Act. Basically FELA requires railroads to maintain a safe workplace for their employees. FELA also imposes absolute, unlimited liability upon railroads for employees who are killed or injured due to the negligence of the railroad. The slack action in a caboose can become very severe. Think in terms of the game of "Crack the Whip". I know of instances where slack action ripped refrigerators and stoves loose and broke windows in cabooses. I also know of instances where employees riding in cabooses were thrown or knocked down by slack action. A caboose could be a very dangerous place to ride. It was emphasized to remain seated as much as possible and to use hand holds while walking about in a moving caboose. Most cabooses had a lengthwise handrail anchored to the ceiling for use by employees to help secure them from slack action while walking in a moving caboose. Additionally, the use of computers and deregulation of freight rates significantly reduced the amount of paperwork a conductor was required to handle. Formerly a waybill, which was considered to be a legal document, had to be in the physical possession of a train crew for every car moving in that train. This is no longer true. Thus the need for a caboose to furnish office space for a conductor was significantly reduced. A caboose had a gauge to monitor the train line air pressure. There was also a conductor's valve that could be used to make an emergency brake application. These functions are now performed by the engineer using the FRED. If the heat went out in a caboose during freezing weather, any drinking or sanitary water in a caboose could freeze, resulting in damaged or broken plumbing. This would necessitate a trip to the car shop for costly repairs and require a replacement caboose. All of these factors and those mentioned in the article, but especially the use of the FRED, meant it was not necessary to have employees riding a caboose at the rear of a train. Most railroads felt abolishing the use of cabooses greatly lessened their exposure to liability claims under FELA in addition to other cost savings. The article did mention that the use of a caboose allowed for visual inspection of a train to look for overheated journals or dragging equipment. The universal use of roller bearings and hot box/dragging equipment detectors has mostly eliminated problems due to these causes. The railway labor unions did argue that continued use of a caboose was a public safety issue. Crew members could observe their train for evidence of dragging equipment or a vehicle collision with the train. With freight trains increasing in length, it was also argued that in the event of trouble (broken knuckles, sticking brakes, setting out cars) less delay and less time blocking grade crossings could result if an employee at the rear of the train could handle the problem more efficiently.