69-14-232. Caboose required to be rear train car -- size and equipment of caboose. (1) Every railroad must place, as the last car on any freight train required by federal railroad administration rules to have its air system and cars inspected by qualified inspecting employees at any designated inspection point and between said inspection points and operating within the state, a caboose occupied by at least one employee of the railroad. A caboose is required on all through-freight, local, and work trains. Provided however, a caboose is not required on a train operating within railroad yard or switch limits as presently established, or on a through-freight if not more than 2,000 feet in overall length operating within an automatic block signal system or within centralized traffic control limits.
     (2) Cabooses shall be at least 24 feet in length, exclusive of platforms, and shall be provided with a door in each end and with cupolas or bay windows, platforms, guardrails, grabirons, and steps for the safety of persons in alighting or getting on cabooses. Cabooses shall be of metal frame construction and be sufficiently insulated to eliminate track and other related noise above 85 decibels in any octave in the speech range. Other requirements for cabooses are as follows:
     (a) The trucks shall provide riding qualities at least equal to those of freight type trucks modified with elliptical or additional coil springs or other means of equal or greater efficiency and shall have at least two four-wheel trucks with standard steel wheels or their equivalent. Draft gears shall have a minimum travel of 2 1/2 inches and a minimum capacity of 18,000 foot-pounds and shall comply with Association of American Railroads Standard M-901 or its equivalent.
     (b) Electric lighting of at least 40 foot-candles shall be provided for direct illumination of the caboose desk, reading areas, and lavatory facilities.
     (c) A spotlight shall be provided on the rear of the caboose with sufficient candlepower to illuminate the track for a distance of at least 300 feet to the rear of the caboose during the hours of darkness.
     (d) The caboose marker or markers shall be either reflectorized or capable of illumination when required.
     (e) Only glass of the safety-glass type shall be used in partitions, doors, windows, or wind deflectors.
     (f) All seats and seat backs shall conform to the safety standards designated by the United States department of transportation in its "Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards", Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 201. All edges and protrusions on seats and seat backs shall be rounded to prevent injury to employees.
     (3) Any person, corporation, or company, operating any railroad or railway in this state, violating any of the provisions of this section and 69-14-233 is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not less than $500 or more than $1,000 for each offense.

     History: (1)En. Sec. 1, Ch. 54, L. 1907; Sec. 4338, Rev. C. 1907; re-en. Sec. 6577, R.C.M. 1921; re-en. Sec. 6577, R.C.M. 1935; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 92, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 32, L. 1977; Sec. 72-622, R.C.M. 1947; (2)En. Sec. 2, Ch. 54, L. 1907; Sec. 4339, Rev. C. 1907; re-en. Sec. 6578, R.C.M. 1921; re-en. Sec. 6578, R.C.M. 1935; Sec. 72-623, R.C.M. 1947; R.C.M. 1947, 72-622(1), 72-623; amd. Sec. 36, Ch. 43, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 607, L. 1983.