The caboose is also occupied occasionally by caretakers of livestock, perishable fruits and vegetables, and others whose duties require them to ride freight trains. Lockers are provided for members of the crew and for the necessary flags, lanterns, light repair tools, oils and other supplies. A coal stove provides heat in winter and for warming the crew's food at meal time. The caboose is equipped with a table, a drinking-water cooler, benches and chairs, a washstand and other conveniences, and it is lighted by oil lamps. When the train is running, the conductor or one of the brakemen usually sits in the tower and watches in both directions to see that the train is running satisfactorily and that nothing is approaching from the rear.
Doors open onto platforms at each end of the car.
On one platform can be seen a wheel which operates the brakes when the car is not attached to a train. A ladder goes to the roof for the crew to climb up to give signals to the locomotive engineer or to another member of the train crew. Brackets on the corners of the car hold signal lights when the caboose is attached to a train. Cars are held together by couplers, which grip together like two cupped hands and hold firmly until released by a trainman. The freight train conductor supervises the crew and has charge of all the cars in the train.