Cab car
Encyclopedia : C : CA : CAB : Cab car
A cab car is a special sort of rail passenger car used in push-pull operations. Most of the cab car is indistinguishable from a regular passenger carriage, but a full driving cab is built into the end of the coach, which has all the controls and gauges necessary for remotely operating the train's locomotive. Externally, the car also includes a horn, bell, plow, and all of the lights that would normally be on a locomotive. The cab car is placed at the end of the train from which the train's locomotive can be remotely controlled. Jumper cables are provided between the locomotive, the carriages and the cab car. This allows for push-pull operation with a faster turnaround time for trains, by avoiding having to physically turn around the train or locomotive
Cab cars come in a variety of forms. Some, such as the British driving van trailer, are based in on the shape and cab of a locomotive. Alternatively, cab cars can be very similar to regular railcars, to the point of including a doorway so that it could sit in the middle of a passenger train like a regular car if necessary. Some commuter rail agencies in the United States routinely use cab cars in place of regular passenger carriages on trains.
During the mid-1990s, as push-pull operations became more common in the United States, cab-cars came under some criticism and scrutiny for providing less protection to engine crews during grade-crossing accidents. This has been addressed in two ways: providing additional reinforcing in cab cars, and the development of Cab-Baggage or 'Cabbages' by Amtrak. 'Cabbages' are essentially F40 diesel engines with the motors removed and a large door in the side. Engineers are afforded the protection of a cab unit as well and baggage handlers have additional space to load luggage.
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