Revamped 1975 caboose.

1. KHR Conductors Caboose
“Westwold”
Built in 1975, the “Westwold” caboose (ex-BC Rail 1882) was acquired
by the Kamloops Heritage Railway in 2003 from BC Rail. The caboose
saw a short career in freight service before being retired only 20 years
later in 1995. The caboose had been badly damaged in a fire and was
completely restored inside and out by volunteers of the Kamloops
Heritage Railway Society. The interior was once again given a face lift
during the winter months of 2015 & 2016.Welcome aboard one of the
few operating Canadian cabooses left in our country!
The Kamloops Heritage Railway 501 caboose came into regular service in 2005. The caboose has been modified both
inside and out to enhance guest experience. It has been redesigned to hold passengers, rather than just a conductor
and brakeman. The “Westwold” caboose can now accommodate 12 passengers and a tail end crew at one time. There
is a small washroom onboard and passengers are welcome to ride in the open-air area at the front end of the caboose
depending on weather conditions.
The Cupola (area above and accessible by ladder) is a popular spot for passengers
because of its unique view. The idea of an upper area on a caboose came from a
conductor riding a box car in 1886; there was a hole in the roof and the conductor
poked his head and shoulders through while standing on a pile of crates. The view
from above was unobstructed and the idea of a closed-in area for the crew was
born. By 1900, all cabooses in Canada and the USA had a cupola for the conductor
to ride in.
Until the late 1980’s all freight trains in Canada and the USA required a caboose.
Advancements in the railway soon saw the caboose put to rest as a tail end crew
was no longer needed. Tail end devices took the place of all cabooses.