Coal Creek Railroads - Diesels and Cabooses

Diesel Trains and Cabooses
by Keegan, Grade 3

Diesel trains are usually used to pull freight trains. But some passenger train companies such as Amtrack also use diesel locomotives like this one. This train is on exhibit at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, Colorado.
Dr. Rudolf Diesel invented the diesel engine which uses diesel fuel. The diesel engine uses a combustion engine for generating the power. A combustion engine works by pushing air into a hollow cylinder. The air gets very hot. When they squirt some diesel fuel into the cylinder that causes a small explosion. The power of the explosion is transferred to an anilator (electric generator).The electricity from the analitor is carried to an electric motor which moves the wheels and makes the train move. That is how a diesel train works. The diesel train is a powerful locomotive and will probably be used for years to come.
	A caboose is the conductor's office on the train. It is usually at the end of the train. This particular caboose is the largest in the world and is 98 years old. It was almost demolished two times because of runaway train cars. You can see it at the Colorado Railroad Museum. This is one very amazing caboose and should be preserved and kept for history.
The top of this caboose is called the dog house. Workers sit in the dog house to watch the front of the train and make sure everything is all right on the train. This picture shows the view of the train from the dog house in caboose 0404 above.	Photo by Chris, Grade 3