One piece of railroad equipment I have always found fascinating, were Transfer Cabooses.

I spotted this orange 1970's era Illinois Central Gulf example, at My link page Fallen Flags.Org to the right of Your computer screen.

Transfer cabooses, are a special type of basic caboose design. These are used primarily on switching locals were many reverse movements need to be made. They are also used on transfer trains and yard switching.

Many railroads built their own transfer cabooses at company shop facilities. A transfer caboose for the most part, is a flatcar with a cabin mounted on it. There is little room for much of anything else inside except for tools a coal stove for heat ,and a desk.

A unique example of a homemade design of transfer caboose, are the ones that the former Milwaukee Road had built during the 1950's. The Milwaukee Road had utilized the frame and trucks from tenders that were saved from scrapped steam locomotives.

The Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad still uses transfer cabooses today on industrial switching locals.

Preserved examples include a former repainted red Milwaukee Road one at The East Troy Electric Railroad and Museum in East Troy Wisconsin, and a wooden Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific example under restoration at The Illinois Railway Museum in Union Illinois. www.irm.org