DULUTH, Ga. — Even people who know nothing about railroads are familiar with the caboose.
They first appeared starting in the middle of the 19th century and remained a stalwart of the rails until the 1980s. Interestingly, the history of the caboose is vague and shrouded more in myth than fact, but most experts agree the car emerged out of the need for an office for the train’s conductor.
At one point, more than 17,000 cabooses — some might say cabeese — on the nation’s railroads. However, new technology negated the need for a rolling office at the end of the train.
The role of railroads in communities across the country is undeniable. Countless cities would not exist today if not for the railroad.
Since that time, cities across the country inextricably linked to railroads have placed cabooses in the town square as a tribute to their history and the workers who helped shape their communities. There are thousands of these venerable cars that stand as monuments to the railroad.
Many cabooses stand along active rail lines, while in many cases, the tracks that used to carry trains are no longer in place.
The cabeese on display have varied uses. Some are the home to local museums, while others are community meeting spaces. Still, some are nothing more than a monument to the railroad.
Countless other of these cars are now on display at local railroad museums. Some museums use these cars in vintage train rides.
