Union Pacific Wooden Temporary Cabooses

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This page was last updated on September 5, 2019.

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Overview

Like many other railroads, Union Pacific at any one time has several maintenance-of-way and other non-revenue trains operating over its lines. In earlier years, in addition to a caboose, each of these specialized trains usually required an office car for use by supervisory personnel; a car which could be retained at the work location as the maintenance work progressed. To combine the function of both an office car and a caboose, during the 1930s UP converted 11 revenue box cars into formal Office cars, which also had all of the necessities of a regular caboose. These 11 cars (UP 06275, 09644, 09706, 09745, 09747, 09756, 09757, 09759, 09878, 09910, and 09918) were converted in 1931, 1936-37, and 1943 from steel underframe box cars built between 1906 and 1909. While shown in the records as Boarding cars, these 11 cars were actually assigned as Office cars in Dining Car & Hotel (DC&H) service and used system wide by the DC&H department to support the on-site commissary needs for the railroad's Bridges & Buildings, Roadway, wreck service, and other maintenance operations. These DC&H Office cars were also used as temporary cabooses during World War II, and remained in service until the early and mid 1950s.

Their use as temporary cabooses for road service stemmed from the increase in rail traffic during World War II, which brought much additional traffic to Union Pacific and its system of associated railroads, which included the LA&SL to Southern California, and the combined OSL and OWR&N to the Pacific Northwest. More traffic meant more trains, and more trains meant the need for more cabooses on mainline, branch, local, and maintenance-of-way trains. By late 1942, UP found that it did not have sufficient cabooses to cover its needs. Even the arrival of 100 new Class CA-3 all-steel cabooses did not solve the problem of too few cabooses.

To alleviate this shortage of cabooses, during late 1943 Union Pacific's Denver shops "converted" steel underframe wooden box cars and automobile cars by adding side doors and windows, and end platforms. The Denver shops converted 35 temporary cabooses in the 04500 and 04800-series numbers from the 70000, 71000, and 72000-series steel underframe box cars originally built in 1906 and 1907. The conversions were all accomplished during September and October 1943. With the arrival of 100 new CA-4 steel cabooses in 1944, these 35 cars were assigned to maintenance-of-way service as Boarding, and Boarding-Cook cars. Most were already retired by the 1959 renumbering that put all maintenance-of-way equipment in the 900000-series. The cars that remained were renumbered between to numbers between 904512 and 904849.

In 1947 and 1951-52, traffic levels again reached high levels and Union Pacific again, found that it didn't have sufficient cabooses for road service. During May through September 1947, 40 cars (UP 05700-05739) were converted from 175000-series steel underframe automobile cars, including the addition of side windows, end doors, and end platforms. These automobile cars were originally built in November 1913 to January 1914.

During 1952, 30 additional cars (UP 05741-05770) were added to the temporary caboose fleet, converted in September to December 1952 from 150000-series steel underframe automobile box cars (originally built September to December 1922) and from 151000-series steel underframe automobile cars (originally built in July to November 1926.) This later conversion work was completed under Work Order 337, approved on May 24, 1951.

With the arrival of 100 new CA-5 steel cabooses in 1952, this later group of 71 temporary cabooses was re-assigned to maintenance-of-way service as Boarding-Bunk cars. In the 1959 renumbering that created the 900000-series, exclusively for maintenance-of-way equipment, these 70 temporary cabooses in the 05700-05770 series were renumbered to 905700-905770.

The following table shows UP's fleet of temporary cabooses:

Car Numbers Qty Date Converted Original Type Dates Retired
UP 04512-04521 10 Sep 1943 Box Car 1948-1953
UP 04533-04542 10 Oct 1943 Box Car 1951-1954
UP 04835-04849 15 Sep 1943 Box Car 1949-1954
UP 05700-05739 40 May - Sep 1947 Automobile Car 1948-1950
UP 05741-05770 30 Sep - Dec 1952 Automobile Car  
UP 06275-09918 11 1931, 1936, 1937, 1943 Box Car 1950-1954

Roster Listings

Union Pacific Temporary Cabooses (04512 Series) -- 10 cars

Converted in 1943 from B-50-2 class Box cars in the 70000-72849 number series, 40-foot, steel underframe cars built by Pressed, Steel Car Co., and Western Steel Car Co. in 1906-1908. Used as temporary cabooses until retired in early and mid 1950s.

Car
Number
Date
Converted
Previous
Number
Date
Retired
Notes
04512 Sep 1943 70804 May 1958  
04513 Sep 1943 71221    
04514 Sep 1943 70326 May 1954  
04515 Sep 1943 72585 Jan 1954  
04516 Sep 1943 70596    
04517 Sep 1943 70158    
04518 Sep 1943 71050 May 1948 Wrecked at Wamsutter, Wyoming.
04519 Sep 1943 70155 Dec 1953  
04520 Sep 1943 70996 Dec 1953  
04521 Sep 1943 70137    

Union Pacific Temporary Cabooses (04533 Series) -- 10 cars

Car
Number
Date
Converted
Previous
Number
Date
Retired
Notes
04533 Oct 1943 72049 Mar 1954  
04534 Oct 1943 72061 Sep 1953  
04535 Oct 1943 71048 Oct 1953  
04536 Oct 1943 71404    
04537 Oct 1943 71284 Apr 1954  
04538 Oct 1943 72417 Nov 1953  
04539 Oct 1943 70541 Sep 1951  
04540 Sep 1943 71406 Jul 1954  
04541 Oct 1943 70924 Jul 1953  
04542 Oct 1943 72381 Mar 1952  

Union Pacific Temporary Cabooses (04835 Series) -- 15 cars

Car
Number
Date
Converted
Previous
Number
Date
Retired
Notes
04835 Sep 1943 71007 Nov 1953  
04836 Sep 1943 72576 Dec 1953  
04837 Sep 1943 71734    
04838 Sep 1943 71917 Sep 1954  
04839 Sep 1943 71759    
04840 Sep 1943 70020    
04841 Sep 1943 70358 Mar 1950 Burned on 23 December 1949 at Los Angeles, California.
04842 Sep 1943 71264 Apr 1949  
04843 Sep 1943 71893    
04844 Sep 1943 71608 Aug 1951  
04845 Sep 1943 71488 Sep 1945  
04846 Sep 1943 70491 Oct 1953  
04847 Sep 1943 72633 May 1952  
04848 Sep 1943 71569 Feb 1954  
04849 Oct 1943 70063 Jun 1952  

Union Pacific Temporary Caboose (with end platforms) (05700 Series) -- 40 cars

Converted in 1947 from A-40-1 class Automobile cars in the 175000-175399 number series, 50-foot, steel underframe cars built by Standard, Steel Car Co. in 1913. Used as temporary cabooses, then assigned to maintenance-of-way service as Boarding Bunk cars. Renumbered to 905700-905739 in 1959.

Car
Number
Date
Converted
Previous
Number
Date
Retired
05700 May 1947 175185  
05701 May 1947 175130  
05702 May 1947 175232  
05703 Jun 1947 175189  
05704 Jun 1947 175070  
05705 Jun 1947 175188  
05706 Jun 1947 175168  
05707 Jun 1947 175262  
05708 Jun 1947 175220  
05709 Jun 1947 175072  
05710 Jun 1947 175203  
05711 Jun 1947 175302  
05712 Jun 1947 175157  
05713 Jun 1947 175077  
05714 Jun 1947 175276  
05715 Jun 1947 175336  
05716 Jun 1947 175143  
05717 Jun 1947 175043  
05718 Jun 1947 175074  
05719 Jun 1947 175054  
05720 Jun 1947 175069  
05721 Jun 1947 175238 Apr 1948
05722 Jun 1947 175308  
05723 Jun 1947 175068  
05724 Aug 1947 175034  
05725 Aug 1947 175118  
05726 Aug 1947 175216  
05727 Sep 1947 175002  
05728 Sep 1947 175327  
05729 Sep 1947 175248 Oct 1950
05730 Sep 1947 175066  
05731 Sep 1947 175335  
05732 Sep 1947 175398  
05733 Sep 1947 175249  
05734 Sep 1947 175119 Apr 1948
05735 Sep 1947 175390 Apr 1948
05736 Sep 1947 175030  
05737 Sep 1947 175088  
05738 Sep 1947 175182  
05739 Sep 1947 175098  

Union Pacific Temporary Cabooses (with end platforms) (05741 Series) -- 30 cars

Converted in 1952 from A-50-6 class Automobile cars in the 150001-151000 number series, 50-foot, steel underframe cars built by Pullman, Car Co. in 1922. Used as temporary cabooses, then assigned to maintenance-of-way service as Boarding Bunk cars. Renumbered to 905741-905770 in 1959.

Car
Number
Date
Converted
Previous
Number
Date
Retired
05741 Oct 1952 150469  
05742 Oct 1952 150718  
05743 Oct 1952 150926  
05744 Oct 1952 150639  
05745 Nov 1952 150276  
05746 Nov 1952 150949  
05747 Nov 1952 150930  
05748 Nov 1952 150534  
05749 Nov 1952 150999  
05750 Nov 1952 151020  
05751 Nov 1952 150692  
05752 Nov 1952 150376  
05753 Nov 1952 150120  
05754 Dec 1952 150296  
05755 Dec 1952 150560  
05756 Sep 1952 151481  
05757 Sep 1952 151942  
05758 Sep 1952 151333  
05759 Sep 1952 151323  
05760 Sep 1952 151948  
05761 Sep 1952 151121  
05762 Oct 1952 151727  
05763 Oct 1952 151279  
05764 Oct 1952 151716  
05765 Oct 1952 151564  
05766 Oct 1952 151991  
05767 Oct 1952 151981  
05768 Oct 1952 151796  
05769 Oct 1952 151707  
05770 Oct 1952 151392  

Union Pacific Temporary Cabooses (Miscellaneous Series) -- 11 cars

Converted from DC&H (Dining Car & Hotel) service and Outfit service office cars. These office cars had been converted in 1931, 1936, and 1937 from B-50-4 class cars in the 72877-73326 number series, and from other B-50 class cars in the 74400 and 74500 number series. All were 40-foot, steel underframe cars built in 1906, 1907, and 1909. Used as temporary cabooses, until retired in early and mid 1950s.

Car
Number
Previous
Number
Date
Retired
06275 72860 Feb 1954
09644 74519 Feb 1954
09706 74496 Sep 1950
09745 72594  
09747 72796  
09756 71184 Aug 1951
09757 74600  
09759 73052 Jul 1953
09878    
09910 70238  
09918 70393  

Photographic evidence shows car 09878 being used as a caboose in Roadway work train service; no other information available.

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