The caboose: retired vestige from a railroading past. I remember a short line train that used to squeak its way past our neighborhood twice a week. Usually maybe three or four boxcars and a caboose would follow the tired old switcher. Kids from down the tracks would hop on and ride the caboose into town. That's something that doesn't happen anymore, for a variety of reasons. Now the railroads tack a tacky little blinking light on the last boxcar. Nobody to wave to, no romantic thoughts of riding the rails into the twilight. Just a blinking light wearing a battery down amidst all the very artful but illegible graffiti.
This particular caboose is on display in a park in North Baltimore, Ohio.
13 comments:
Great post for red week, Ben! We used to wave at the guy in the caboose on trains we saw go by as a kid. We did that, and we always counted the number of cars in the train. I'm not sure why we did that, but it seemed fun at the time. HA HA! Happy Monday!
Glad you showed up Ben, it wouldn't be the same without you.
Funny!--I was thinking you might post about a train or ambulance for some reason.
I'm glad you had no reason to show the later.
Always loved having to stop for the trains as a kid- now as a driver, not so much.
Hi Ben, Love the caboose photo and oh, the photos of Ollie are cute as can be! Look forward to visiting with you on Colors Monday!
Cool picture. Thought maybe you took it at the B&O Museum here in Bawlmer, Merland. A different Baltimore, eh? I don't remember any kids grabbing on and taking a ride form our neighborhood, but I do remember the sound of the train. On a really good day, I can hear the one in the valley from my front yard.
Good to hear from what seem like old friends! And yeah, trains and fire trucks and ambulances are natural guy things, I s'pose.
Wher I lived in Chicago as a little kid I fell asleep to the sounds of the trains just a few blocks away. Now where I teach we aren't far from a track and the sounds of the whistle always take me back.
I remember as a kid counting all the train cars as they sped by, hoping for a glimpse of someone on the caboose!!!!
Neat post, Ben! We used to have a train coming through our little town. I guess we all counted the cars. Also, thought it was fun to wave at the men on the train. Wonder why the caboose is always red?
Ahhh the little red caboose. Nice. Now they are pretty much religated to being visitor's centers or gift shops in small towns. Such a pity.
Have a good week ahead Ben!
We were at the park this weekend watching the train pass by. You're right; it's just not the same without the red caboose. Thanks for visiting my blog on Color Monday!
Hey Ben, I'm particularly fond of the caboose. My grandfather worked on the railroad years ago and he rode on the caboose.
I remember those waves for sure.
Great RED caboose! We still have trains that run here in TX. I can hear one of them whistle in the house on a quiet day. We have a great little train museum in town that the grandkids love to visit.
I like your red caboose. I agree that it's a shame there are no longer cabooses on freight trains. That blinking light just doesn't do it for me.
Thanks for visiting my site.
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