End of the Line - Caboose: A retired part of the train world, but yet so many of us remember them when they were a common sight...

Travesty Loc: Chicago Burbs, USA

A retired part of the train world, but yet so many of us remember them when they were a common sight...

Treepusher Loc: Kingston, Massachusetts

Randy--this is very well done. I like it a lot. My only suggestion might be to add a little more contrast between the color of the back of the caboose and the building behind it. They blend a little too closely for the caboose to stand out.

Travesty Loc: Chicago Burbs, USA

Treepusher wrote:

Randy--this is very well done. I like it a lot. My only suggestion might be to add a little more contrast between the color of the back of the caboose and the building behind it. They blend a little too closely for the caboose to stand out.

Thanks.... I may give that a go. Very obvious now that you pointed it out... :)

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

Travesty wrote:

A retired part of the train world, but yet so many of us remember them when they were a common sight...

Yep, you don't see any of these on tracks any more. There's a large rail yard here in my hometown and in the old days there were lots of them but the only one I've seen in years is in a city park. I like your photo of this one with the grain elevator as a background.

Walt

Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

Not trying to put pressure on you Randy but I would love to see you post your version of Treepushers thoughts. Im not sure which version I might like better as this on seems spot on.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Some railroads still use them as portable offices and bunk houses/break rooms around work areas and yards.

At the Railway Museum one of our more popular things is when we run a "caboose train". Engine and a string of cabooses. The most popular seats are of course up in the cupola. The "bay window" style cabooses are not nearly as well received.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Travesty wrote:

A retired part of the train world, but yet so many of us remember them when they were a common sight...

There really is something majestic about a caboose. I'm not sure if it's the love of the lore, or something more, but they always fascinate me!

It's an amazing image, and don't touch it, but I have to ask, is it possible to see more? The right seems cut off, but I'm assuming that's for a reason. And would it be possible to do a re-shoot, twenty feet to the right or so? Also have you considered standing on a small ladder attempting to place yourself at train level. All things I think about...

Thank you for sharing this and inspiring my imagination! S-

R.G. Loc: Scotland

The bottom left hand corner of the caboose definitely seems to be merging into the background a bit too much, which is a pity because it's the ends of cabooses that give them their distinctive look.

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

I like it just as it is....

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Travesty wrote:

A retired part of the train world, but yet so many of us remember them when they were a common sight...

At the moment this image appeared my heart skipped a beat....had t'catch my breath... I've loved cabooses, since my grandad,(who engineered a coal locomotive on the Bloomsburg-Central line in Pennsylvania at the next-to-last turn-of-the-century) filled me with railroad lore from the time I was barely a toddler ...and I have to note, that as beautiful and lore-laden this ikon of "real" railroading is, it is NOT an official caboose...because IT ISN'T RED !
Other than that, quibble though we might over the actual colors, it's beautiful. I have, for decades, wanted to find one for sale, sitchy-ayte it back past the barn, turn one end into my Luthery shop, the other end into my library, and the cupola into the reading retreat. They are hard to insulate, but a decent wood-burning stove should get it through any SD winter.
Damn, I'm glad you posted this!
Critique this image? You gotta be kidding!
It's gorgeous!
I know I'll never have one, but that's why G-d gave us the capacity to dream, right?
Thanks, Randy, ever so much...
...with misty eyes...
Dave

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

Uuglypher wrote:

and I have to note, that as beautiful and lore-laden this ikon of "real" railroading is, it is NOT an official caboose...because IT ISN'T RED !
Other than that, quibble though we might over the actual colors, it's beautiful.
Dave

Dave, if you google "Burlington Northtern caboose images" you'll find only photos of this color caboose - none in red. But I totally understand what you're saying.

Walt

Travesty Loc: Chicago Burbs, USA

Whuff wrote:

Yep, you don't see any of these on tracks any more. There's a large rail yard here in my hometown and in the old days there were lots of them but the only one I've seen in years is in a city park. I like your photo of this one with the grain elevator as a background.

Walt

Thank you Walt.... They do bring back some memories... :)

Travesty Loc: Chicago Burbs, USA

Frank2013 wrote:

Not trying to put pressure on you Randy but I would love to see you post your version of Treepushers thoughts. Im not sure which version I might like better as this on seems spot on.

Frank, I started playing with it a bit, but gave up for now.. My heart is not into it at the moment... Thanks! :)

Travesty Loc: Chicago Burbs, USA

robertjerl wrote:

Some railroads still use them as portable offices and bunk houses/break rooms around work areas and yards.

At the Railway Museum one of our more popular things is when we run a "caboose train". Engine and a string of cabooses. The most popular seats are of course up in the cupola. The "bay window" style cabooses are not nearly as well received.

Sounds like you know your cabooses Robert... :) Thanks for sharing

Travesty Loc: Chicago Burbs, USA

St3v3M wrote:

There really is something majestic about a caboose... (show quote)

Thanks! It is certainly framed as such for a reason... There is nothing to the right to lend to this image, besides some modern steel buildings and such... I try to remove my images from distractions such as those... I do have an older shot if I dig it up that does extend beyond a bit because another car was attached a the time....