life in a caboose

Here are a few detailed images from one of yesterday's caboose photos by Jack Delano. At the end I've added a few more photos from the same shoot. All were taken in January 1943 and are part of the collection of Farm Security Administration photos in the Library of Congress Prints and Photos Division.

1. First the photo and its caption (again):

{Freight train operations on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad between Chicago and Northwestern Railroad between Chicago and Clinton, Iowa. The caboose is the conductor's second home. He always uses the same one and many conductors cook and sleep there while waiting for trains to take back from division points}

2. The conductor works on some paperwork, maybe freight waybills and other records. Another photo in this set has the caption: "As soon as the train gets under way, the conductor sits down to work on his bills and records." He wears a dark cardigan sweater with pockets. It seems to close with a zipper — not usual at the time — and also with snaps, probably for extra warmth and wind protection. There's a box of matches attached to the wall by his left shoulder. You can make out a roll of string by his left ear. The built-in desk he's using has top and side drawers.


3. This is probably the freight train's brakeman who assisted the conductor. In 1943, as for decades before, the engineer controlled the train's air brakes and brakemen were freed from the dangerous task of setting them manually. Notice the watch fob leading from top of overalls to the front pocket. He's wearing a vest (looks like a suit vest) under the overalls and his shirt, new or newly-laundered, is buttoned at the neck. The hat is a convertible one with storm flap that can be brought down to cover ears and neck.


4. The back wall has lots of pinups and one framed sentimental picture of a mother and child. You see them just above and to the left of the coffee pot's lid.


5. These pinups surround the gauge which shows the pressure level of the train's air brakes. Below it is the lever which allowed the brakeman to work the brakes should the engineer's control fail. It's curious that there's a nail head or knob in the forehead of one pinup. Notice that someone has put an exotic feather by her left hand.


6. Over the doorway leading to the galley someone has put this sign, presumably liberated from a passenger train and presumably meant ironically. It's had to make out what's scrawled to its left.


7. You can see part of the galley to the left of the conductor.


8. I don't know what might be kept in this little cupboard. On right is a picture of three diesel locomotives, the latest in streamlined, luxury passenger travel at the time.


9. The bench on which the conductor sits. It looks like the papers in his back pocket are work-related.


10. The footwear of the brakeman. They're ankle boots laced as if shoes.


11. Caps and a couple of jackets. The photo was taken in January in the Midwest.


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Here are a few more shots, all low-res digital images, from the same shoot.

12. The back door is open and, with the camera located a bit more to the right, you can see some of what's behind the stove.

{Caption: The Freight train operations on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad between Chicago and Clinton, Iowa. The caboose is the conductor's second home. He always uses the same one and many conductors cook and sleep there while waiting for trains to take back from division points}

13. The camera is much closer to the back of the car in this shot so you can see clothing piled up opposite the galley; this could be where the conductor sleeps.

{Caption: Freight train operations on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad between Chicago and Clinton, Iowa. The train pulling out of a yard 1943 Jan.}

14. You can see from this that one of the brakeman's jobs was to signal the engineer that it was ok to move the train.

{Freight train operations on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad between Chicago and Clinton, Iowa. After a short wait to let a passenger train go by, the train starts up again and the rear brakeman gives his OK signal as he hops on the caboose}

15. Final shot in this sequence.

{Caption: Freight train operations on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad between Chicago and Clinton, Iowa. The train going through the town to the yard which is two miles beyond}