New York Laws
Article 3 - Construction, Operation and Management
78 - Coal Jimmies and Caboose Cars.

§ 78. Coal jimmies and caboose cars. The use of cars known and
designated as "coal jimmies" in any form and the use of any car as a
caboose unless it shall have a suitable and safe platform at each end
thereof, and the usual railing for the protection of persons using such
platform, shall be unlawful within the state, except upon any railroad
whose main line is less than fifteen miles in length and whose average
grade exceeds two hundred feet to the mile. This section shall not be
construed to authorize the interchange of such "coal jimmies" with, and
the use thereof upon, railroads of more than fifteen miles in length or
whose average grade is less than two hundred feet to the mile.

From and after the first day of July, nineteen hundred and twenty-four
it shall be unlawful for any corporation or individual to man, equip, or
to use within the state on any railroad a caboose car, or car to serve
the purpose of a caboose car, which shall be less than twenty-four feet
in length exclusive of the platform, or which shall have a center
constructive strength less than that of the fifty-ton freight cars built
according to master car builders' standards. Such caboose or other
equivalent car shall be constructed with steel center sills with two
four-wheeled trucks; with each platform not less than twenty-four inches
wide, with proper guard rails, grab irons and steps, which shall be
equipped with a suitable rod, board or other guard designed to prevent
slipping from the car step. Each such car shall have a door at each end
and shall be equipped with four separate sleeping berths not less than
six feet and two inches in length. Each such car shall contain a
properly furnished toilet room, sink, icebox, water cooler, clothing
lockers, fire extinguishers, and with either a cupola of sufficient size
to accommodate at least two men or bay windows. Each such car on every
freight train shall be equipped with electric markers of sufficient
candle power to be visible for a distance of three thousand feet under
normal weather conditions. Flashing type or constant burning markers
shall be deemed a sufficient compliance with the foregoing requirement.
The glass in all windows and doors of each such car shall be
shatterproof. Whenever any caboose or other car used for like purpose
now in use by any such railroad company shall, after this act goes into
effect, be brought into any shop for general repairs it shall be
unlawful to again put the same into use within this state, as a caboose
or other car used for like purpose unless it be equipped as provided in
this act. All cabooses built after January first, nineteen hundred
sixty-five must be of steel construction and equipped with electric
lights.

This section shall not apply to cabooses or other equivalent cars used
in the switching service or on trains operated wholly within twenty-five
miles of yard limits.

Any violation of the provisions of this section shall be a
misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars
nor more than five hundred dollars for each separate offense. This
penalty is in addition to that provided for in section eighty-one of
this chapter.

Structure New York Laws