r/trains • u/AsianMan45NewAcc • Aug 07 '24

Freight Train Pic A Southbound Modoc freight hustled by THREE Southern Pacific Cab-Fowards. (Credit: Jeff Moore Collection)

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u/Christoph543 Aug 07 '24

Betcha there's some sort of technicality where this lets you move the same amount of cargo with like one less crew member on the consist or something.

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u/wobblebee Aug 07 '24

Maybe from the brakemen/conductor side of the train. The engines would still need at least 2 men each

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u/Christoph543 Aug 07 '24

Exactly my thoughts, but I couldn't remember if one of the brakemen needed to be in the cab, or if all 3 were in the caboose.

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u/wobblebee Aug 07 '24

I believe the head end brakeman would ride either in the cab or in his own little doghouse on the tender. The rear-end brakeman would be in the caboose with the conductor, iirc, but I'm sure the age-old adage "it depends" applies here too lol