Conrail Caboose Photo Archive
The N-21 Class
The only true Conrail Caboose


In 1978 Conrail ordered 113 N-21s and numbered them 21201-21313. This was Conrail's first and only order for cabooses.
They were built by the Fruit Growers Express in Alexandria, Virginia, and had extra seating for deadheading crews.

Similar, at first glance, to all the bay windows built before them, they weighed about 52,800 Ibs.

 

 

 Location & information

Date

Photo Credit

  21201 Merion PA
Abrams Yard Upper
fresh paint
1994 John P. Almeida
  21201 King of Prussia PA
painted gray as shoving platfoem
April 19.2009 Mark Obrzut
 Marysville OH
next to the Honda plant
 April 5, 1998  Jim Hebner
 
 21204
 Canton OH  Sept 3, 1992  Chip Syme
 21204
 Canton OH  Sept 3, 1992  Chip Syme
     
 Central OH?
A bit blurry - fast movin' freight!
 Mid 1980s?  from the
collection of
Jim Hebner
Croxton yard
Jersey City NJ
July 1, 2004 Anthony Paci

Croxton yard
Jersey City NJ
now NS 555200

Sept 07, 2007 Anthony Paci
 Rochester NY
Goodman St. Yard
 August 31, 1997  Jim Hebner
Geneva NY
Pre-Finger Lakes Railway
on train WAGY-12
   Bill K
 Rochester NY
Goodman St. Yard
any doubts that this one went
to CSX?
 Nov 27,1999  Jim Hebner
     
     
     Jim Hebner
 Catawissa PA - under restoration
1997
 Walt Gosciminski
Kankakee IL
note the headlight for backup moves
8-21-93 Paul Rome
Walbridge OH
Aug 1995
Paul McGrane
  Sept 1981  John Bartley
 21221
 Latrobe PA
built 7-78
 Sept 10, 1985  Charles Tipton
 21221
 Latrobe PA
built 7-78
Oct 17, 1997
 Charles Tipton
 Mansfield Ohio
yard
 May 18, 2001  Bill Godby
 21227  Arlington VA  April 1979  Dick Leonhardt
 21228  W Tarentum PA  March 26, 1984  Charles Tipton
 21228  W Tarentum PA  Jan 19, 1991  Charles Tipton
 21228  W Tarentum PA  Sept 29, 1991  Charles Tipton
 21228  W Tarentum PA  March 13, 1992  Charles Tipton
21229  Columbus Ohio
Buckeye Yard
 July 1983  Jim Hebner
21229  Brown Yard NJ  January 1996  Jeff Lubchansky
21229  Brown Yard NJ
nice end view
 January 4, 1998  Jeff Lubchansky
 21230  Elkhart IN
preserved
Sept 22, 2001   Dick Leonhardt 
 21230   Elkhart IN
preserved
 April 13, 2006 Sam Sponseller 
 

21230

  Aug 21, 2007  
 21231  Altoona PA  October 3, 1998  Jeff Lubchansky
21233  Charleston WV  July 13, 1997  Jim Hebner
 
21234  Oak Island NJ
on repair track
 May 5,1998  Jeff Lubchansky
21234  Oak Island NJ
on repair track but the other side
 Nov 8, 1997  Jeff Lubchansky
21237  Altoona PA  October 2, 1998  Jeff Lubchansky
21240  Arlington VA

April 1979

 Dick Leonhardt
21241

 Indianapolis IN
Avon Yard
 Nov 9, 1997  Jim Hebner
 21241

 Altoona PA

 October 2, 1998
 Jeff Lubchansky

 21241

 Greenville NJ
Now painted (Nov 1999) CSX Blue and gray as part of SAA

  Feb 2002

 Alan Tillotson
 
Parlin NJ
now painted red
part of some sort of christmas train here
Dec 9, 2006
 
21242

 Indianapolis IN
Avon Yard
 Nov 9, 1997  Jim Hebner
21248

Bethlehem PA
windows plated
"Outer Limits"

21 Apr 2005 Dick Leonhardt
21248 Bethlehem PA 21 Apr 2005 Dick Leonhardt
21248 Bethlehem PA 21 Apr 2005 Dick Leonhardt
21250  Elizabethport NJ  January 25, 1998  Jeff Lubchansky
   .  Croton NY  Sept 1994  Paul McGrane

  21252 Lancaster PA July 22, 2005 Bill Ohl
 Rochester NY  August 1979  Jim Hebner
 Wilmington DE
On display at the Amtrak Station - Visit Stan's RailPix Site
 May 1995
 Stan Feldman
  Operation Lifesaver
at Oak Island NJ
 April 13,1997
 Jeff Lubchansky
 21257
 probably central Ohio  March 1990  from the
collection of
Jim Hebner
21257
 probably central Ohio  March 1990  from the
collection of
Jim Hebner
 Niles OH Aug 3, 1996 Chip Syme
 Moraine Yard
Dayton OH
Jan 5, 1997
 Jim Hebner
  Springfield OH
on the end of WSMO12
at CP 182
July 1996 Jim Hebner
 Roanoke VA
on one of the tracks for bad ordered
cars in the yard
 Oct 12 2002  Joe Shaw

21263  Cleveland OH  March 1980  Jim Hebner
 21262  Altoona PA
marked with NYC - for CSX
 October 15,1999  Jim Hebner
 21262

Fillmore CA
Preserved - a long way from home

March 28, 2005 Paul S Highland
21262

Fillmore CA
another view

Aug 5 2007 Matt
  21262 The Rochelle Railroad Park fans get a special treat when, an eastbound UP train has a Conrail caboose on the end of it - It is coming east, from Calif., going to Canada Jan 21, 2008  
21262 TSH 21262 is now back in service working for the Canadian short line Tshiuetin Rail Transportation Inc. It is a railway that stretches 134 miles (217 kilometres) through the wilderness of western Labrador and northeastern Quebec. It connects Emeril Junction, Labrador with the community of Schefferville, Quebec on the interprovincial boundary. The company is owned by the Innu Nation of Matimekush-Lac John, the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach, and the Innu Takuaikan Uashat mak Mani-Utenam. 2008  
21262 another view    
21263      
21263      
 21263  Orrville OH  July 2001  Matt Cutlip
 21263 Manfield OH
working for NS
 April 11, 2007  Sam Sponseller
21264 A volunteer at the Wabash Valley Railroad Museum in Terre Haute, Indiana, works to clean a former Conrail caboose.
This N21 caboose was one of 113 cars that Conrail purchased new from Virginia Fruit Growers Express.
The museum bought it from CSX and moved it to Terre Haute from Paris, Illinois, in September 2018.
During its service with Conrail No. 21264 operated between Indianapolis and Peoria, Illinois. In its final years of service it was assigned to local service in Paris.
The caboose sat in the weeds for a decade before being “rescued” by the museum.
2019 Craig Sanders
21265  Cleveland OH March 1980  Jim Hebner
21265  Central OH  January 1984  from the
collection of
Jim Hebner
  21266  Wooster OH  Sept 17, 1991 Ross Jack
21266  Crestline OH  Sept 21, 1997  Jim Hebner
21267 Hershey PA Feb 27, 2009  
21267 Hershey PA Feb 27, 2009  
  21276 cut up in June 2005
a few windows went to the restoration
on PC 24014
   
21268  Columbus Ohio
Buckeye Yard
 July 1983  Jim Hebner
21268 Allentown PA May 1984  from the
collection of
Jim Hebner
21268   Florence NJ
as an "idler car" for cars
sided at
an industrial area
April 18, 1998  Terry Williams
21270 Avon IN  Aug 7, 1998 Chip Syme
21271  Ansonia Ohio
CP 189
Aug 9, 1998 Chip Syme
21271
South Anderson Yard
in central Indiana
Dec 1, 2011
Kevin Garrett


21271 Emporia IN
Kokomo Grain
Feb 1, 2021 Cody Phipps
21272  Follansbee WV May 16, 1992  Patrick J Yough
21273

 Buffalo NY
 

 Sal Peragine
21273

 Cleveland OH
Rockport Yard - Visit
Arnie Morscher's Railroad
Site

 Jan 1, 1988

 Arnold H Morscher
21274
Elkhart Yard in
Indiana
Nov 27, 2011
Kevin Garrett
 
Indianapolis IN
Feb 15, 1009
 

21280  Emsworth PA May 10, 1996 Chip Syme
 21280  Altoona PA  October 2, 1998  Jeff Lubchansky
21280 NS has painted it red!
 Oct 2, 1999 Jeff Lubchansky 
 21280  Conway PA Oct 18, 1999 Chip Syme
  21281  A sad sight - wrecked or fire damaged    John/Brian Berger
21284  Rochester NY - near CP 367 on the Buffalo Mainline in Rochester. It was being pushed by a local train (WARO-13) from the Rochester Yard (CP 369) on the way to Cantisano Foods in Fairport (about MP 361)  July 1998  Les Wilson
   21284  Rochester NY
Goodman St. Yard
how about this for an interim CSX paint job?
 November 27,1999  Jim Hebner
    Cheektowasa, Buffalo NY Jan 9, 2009  
21285  Collinwood Oh    Jim Hebner 
21285  sitting at about MP 60.6, on the River Line at Powhatan Point, just about at the end of the track.
Visit his site The Ohio Railroad Page
   Don Narris
 21285  Powhatan Ohio Aug 8, 2001  Chip Syme
21286  Philadelphia PA - Holmesburg Jct
Conrail 1633 and this caboose will pick up cars at the small Bleigh Street Yard, and work north on the Amtrak NEC.
Visit Stan's RailPix Site
July 1997   Stan Feldman


  21290 Rochester NY Nov 20, 2021 Otto Vandrak
 Columbus OH
CP 130
 June 1983
 from the
collection of
Jim Hebner
 Cleveland OH
East end of Collinwood Yard

 May 3 1979

 Jim Hebner

 Anderson IN

 Nov 9, 1997
 Jim Hebner
 South Anderson IN
 Aug 7, 1998
Chip Syme
At the South Anderson Yard in
Central Indiana
Dec 1, 2011
Kevin Garrett

 Syracuse NY

 Jim Hebner

 Brownsville PA
built Oct 1978
that is coal on the roof

April 30, 1989
Ross Jack
 Detroit MI
was to have been painted red for service
in a SAA but it looks like that
did not happen
 Aug 2002
 Ellis Veech
21300

HARRINGTON DE

5/88
Kevin Hammond
21300
Hamtramck MI
Jeff Foster

21303

 Altoona PA
I hate graffiti!

 Oct 3, 1998

 Jeff Lubchansky

 Altoona PA 21303
NS painted it red!

 Oct 1999
 Josh Lubchansky
  has "NS Manville NJ" painted under the bay window and is seen in Manville yard in Manville NJ
 Feb 2000
 John E Durant
Great Notch NJ
July 14, 2005
Anthony Paci
 Columbus Ohio
Buckeye Yard
 July 1983
Jim Hebner 
 Berea OH
Rockport local
 Jan 31, 1989
 Chip Syme
 Cleveland OH
Eastland Road
Visit Arnie Morscher's
Railroad Photo
Site
 July 17,1989
 Arnold H Morscher
 Ohio Street Yard
Nov 12, 1998
Robert H
 21309
 Elkhart IN
 May 3, 1999
 Jim Hebner
  Elkhart IN
MP 421
 Aug 5, 1998
 Chip Syme
Sharon Yard
Cincinnati OH
 Feb 1, 1998
 Jim Hebner
Sharon Yard
Cincinnati OH
the other side
 Feb 1, 1998
 Jim Hebner
 Kirkland OH
 Roger Kirkpatrick
  21313   Nov 16, 2010 M U Seum
Oct 22, 2011
Todd Dillon
In 2014 Norfolk Southern repainted 21313! Nice job NS!
Cleveland OH
April 28, 2014
Todd Dillon
Cleveland OH
April 28, 2014
Todd Dillon
Cleveland OH
April 28, 2014
Todd Dillon
         
  21313 Twinsburg OH Aug 13, 2018  
Cleveland OH
April 28, 2014
Todd Dillon

 

Tom Wolfgang reported this on his site - Conrail N21A Class Data
1 car 21230, bought new by Conrail in 1978 as class N21.
N21 CR 21230, was reclassified to N21A in October, 1978, at Reading Car Shop.
This car was fitted with National Swing Motion Trucks and the foundation brake was changed from near side to
far side hookup. Thus the reason for reclassification to N-21A. The National Trucks had 6" X 11" roller bearings and
special coil springs to accommodate the more or less constant weight on rail of a caboose.

This car was tested at speeds up to 82 mph between Collinwood and Ashtabula. The test train was all locomotives
and cabooses. The GE locomotives had axle mounted devices that had to be road tested so they were used to power the test
train. In addition to CR 21230, there were an N8, N7B, N5C, N7A and a regular caboose for the train crew. Thus two tests for
the price of one.

The ride quality of the National Trucks was superior to the Barber-Bettendorf Caboose Truck. and was at least equal
to the ride quality of the fully equalized Stillwell Caboose Trucks under some EL cars. The Stillwell Trucks were standard on some
railroads.

Due to the era of the caboose coming to an end and some cracking problems with the National side frame castings the test
trucks were removed on November 1, 1985, and the brake rigging restore to the original and the Class N21 was reassigned,

Due to union agreements all Conrail Cabooses were to be eventually equipped with Barber-Bettendorf Trucks and as a
result the Stillwell trucks were replaced. Although the Stillwell trucks were worn beyond reasonable limits for reclamation
they could have been replaced in kind but the cost would have been prohibitive.

CR 21295 was to have been the second N21A but it was never converted.

Information provided to Tom by John Reehling

NOTE: Conrail 21230 is preserved at Elkhart IN (Jim Hebner)

 

Tom Wolfgang reported this on his site - Conrail N22 Class Data
Proposed Class, never constructed.
The N22 caboose would have been built to Specification 5027-C or a later revision after discussions with any bidders.

Supplements to this Specification would have had some, if not all, of these cars fitted with National Swing Motion Trucks.
All trucks, whether National or Barber Bettendorf Swing Motion, would have had end of axle, Spicer driven alternators.

The electrical system would have been more reliable with built in protective devices.

All of the glazing would have been 9/16", FRA Type I, as opposed to FRA type I in the end windows and FRA Type II in
the side windows. The reason was to prevent mistakes in replacement windows. The inventory costs of two types of windows
would be reduced. Both the end and side fixed windows would be the same size.

Basically the N-22 would have been an improved version of the N-21. The extra seats in the interior and seats at the conductors'
desks would have been superior to those in the N-21.

Information provided to Tom by John Reehling

 
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