C.P.R. Caboose #6209


Closed

Hours of Operation

  • Monday

    Closed

  • Tuesday

    Closed

  • Wednesday

    Closed

  • Thursday

    Closed

  • Friday

    Closed

  • Saturday

    Closed

  • Sunday

    Closed

The Historical Village is now closed until May 17, 2025 except for special and ticketed events. The Historical Village will be open for Day Out With Thomas from May 3 - 4 and 10 - 11, 2025. Gasoline Alley Museum and the shops and restaurants in Heritage Plaza are open year-round.

Exhibit Details

Area

Heritage Rail Yard

Download the Map

Category

Train

About the C.P.R. Caboose #6209

A travelling office and home away from home for the train’s crew, the caboose was also called the “van”, the “buggy” and the “crummy.”.

A brightly painted caboose, topped by a little observation cupola, brought up the rear of every freight train. Each caboose was equipped with emergency flares, flags, signal lamps and spare equipment. As a home on wheels, it was also furnished with an ice-box, water tank, table, chairs, benches, mattresses and a pot-bellied cast-iron stove with bake oven and ubiquitous coffee pot.

A typical train crew consisted of five men: the engineer, fireman and head-end brakeman rode in the locomotive and the conductor and rear-end brakeman occupied the caboose. The conductor who was responsible for the operation of the train did much of his paperwork in the caboose while the brakeman regularly inspected the consist from the cupola looking for any signs of developing problems. In the event of an emergency, he would pull a cord alerting the engineer to apply the brakes.

The wooden caboose was built in 1912 by the Canadian Pacific Railway at Angus Shops in Montreal. During the 1990s cabooses were retired from North American railways and replaced with electronic end-of-train units.

A family walking past CPR Caboose #6209 at Heritage Park

Visit Heritage Park

1900 Heritage Dr. S.W. Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2V 2X3

Email: info@heritagepark.ca
Phone: 403.268.8500

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