Well, back in the day, cabooses had a pipe railing running down the ceiling, the length of the caboose in the center of the caboose, except for the cupola area. The conductor, brakeman, flagman, as a rule hung onto that pipe with one hand/arm up in the air, to get from one end of the caboose to the other. If you have never took a tumble from one end of a caboose to the other at 65 miles an hour, you haven't lived yet! So therefor we always called them "APE CAGES" Probably wasn't a big thing on little tourist trains.
I always told the apes in the cage to lay down when I need you, I'll stand you up!
SMITTY GOIN' LOCO
LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEER, RETIRED
Last run July 24, 1992
Sometimes I sit and wonder how come I am not in a mental institution then I take a good look around at everyone else and realize, maybe I already am!!!