# Bobber cabeese



## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Were Single axle Bobber Caboose really used?

Aprox what year were they discontiuned?

JJ


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

There are plenty of pictures of them about. I think they were around late in the 19th century then replaced with larger and smoother running truck cabooses and eventually made from steel.

Andrew


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Single axle? that wouldnt be very stable.. 
but 2-axle bobber cabooses were definitely used..
I would say they were roughly a 1870's to 1920's design, for bobbers in general use..
although a few probably operated longer than that..










Scot


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Were not bobber cabeese all Narrow Gauge Rolling stock?


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

I believe Scot's caboose picture is standard gauge.

Andrew


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

John J said:


> Were not bobber cabeese all Narrow Gauge Rolling stock?


not at all..
in fact the VAST majority of bobber cabooses were standard gauge..
I dont know the exact percentage that were standard gauge, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was 99% or higher..

(considering every railroad that existed around the turn of the 20th Century had them, and 99.9999% of rolling stock in the US has been standard gauge.)

and yes, photo above is of a standard gauge bobber caboose.

Scot


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Mainline Dated 1926 Pittsburgh
I think they were for shorter runs where there was more switching during the day than milage


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Most larger bobbers were eventually rebuilt with trucked wheels. Early in the 20th Cent., D&RG converted several of there larger bobbers to trucks which is why some of them look like their trucks just barely fit under the frames.

Yes, most bobbers were standard gauge, on narrow gauge in practice the short wobbly bobbers proved to be unstable on the slim and often uneven trackwork so they never really gained a foothold, alot of NG cabeese were simply modified boxcars.

Bobbers were mostly used on shortline, short haul lines, SG and NG, were the short distances meant life in the cramped quarters of a small bobber wasnt a great discomfort for the crews. Longer distance trains quickly utilized either modified full-size boxcars or purpose built larger cabeese that allowed the crews to bunk down on long distance trips.

I believe bobbers were legislated out of existence on all major line when the ICC regulated requiring steel frames on all cabeese in the 1920's (IIRC). Railroads simply wrote off the older wood framed bobbers off at that point.


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

From what I read the caboose was something that a progressed from a convenient hole in the roof for train observation and braking to a cabin where paper work was done, shelter provided and sleeping quarters for longer hauls. They became home for those that worked on the line. The drovers caboose was full of cowboys eating beans! 

Andrew


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Not all interiors were the same either....


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## Charles M (Jan 2, 2008)

The Colorado and Southern Railway ran bobbers until the end of operations in the early 1940's This was on the Narrow Gauge. They made a pretty nice home away from home for the crews. 

Charles M SA#74


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