Re: (erielack) Transfer Cabooses and Locomotives (long)

["Tom Beckett" <tabeckett_@_stny.rr.com>]

I've also heard them referred to as "outhouses on a raft"...they generally
were not well regarded in terms of comfort while traveling.

Tom B

> Around 1979 or 1980, Model Railroader ran an article on transfer
> cabooses.  While some railroads had respectable-looking custom-built
> transfer cabooses, others were literally shacks mounted on an old
> flatcar.  (The article mentioned that the slang terms "crummy" and
> "hack" for caboose may have come from these less-than-luxurious cars).
> However, if I recall correctly, even the custom-built ones had long end
> platforms, like the shack-on-a-flatcar versions.  Was there a particular
> reason for the long end platforms on a transfer caboose?

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