Digging through my boxes of old photographs, I came across this pic of an old Kansas City Southern caboose, number 376.  The date stamped on the photo’s edge says January, 1972.  The KCS built a bunch of these cabs from old outside braced boxcars, and they were quite common for many years.  I believe (but am not sure) that this image was captured in New Orleans at the yard on Airline Highway.  If you know better, please let me know.

This car falls into the category of it’s so ugly that it has a coolness factor!  I particularly like the Allied Full Cushion trucks beneath it.  This caboose still lives on, and is on display in Amsterdam, Missouri.  It was apparently modernized over the years and has lost those wonderful trucks, but it’s heritage is still obvious.  An internet search for the old girl will yield several pictures of it where she currently resides.