The Caboose Gets a Bay Window

Pittsburgh & Lake Erie all steel bay window caboose #508 was built in the road's own shops in McKee's Rocks, Pennsylvania in 1950. It was built to plans of the New York Central, the P&LE's controlling owner at the time. Previous cupola style cabooses were rendered obsolete by the increasing height of freight cars. The side window provides views along each side of the train to watch for problems such as "hot boxes" or shifting loads. Today, electronic sensors along the track have made the caboose and its crew obsolete and you can only see them where freight movements are made in reverse across roads. The car was purchased by a museum volunteer, Earl Kinnard, who donated it to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in 1992. Mr. Kinnard also accompanied the car during its move to Strasburg by Conrail and the Strasburg RR.
Details:
Length 27 Ft. 5 In. body, 35 Ft. 10 In. between buffers
Width 10 Ft In. between windows, 9 Ft. 5/8 In. body
Height 12 Ft. 2 In.