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Dad used to be a switchman. Never talked to him much about his job, but I wonder... Since there's no caboose... If a shtf resistance man snuck (if that's a word) up while the train was waiting for the other train to pass and decoupled the last car or two or three... how long would it be before the RR noticed? Enough time to unload the cargo and drive it off? All they'd need is a portable ramp. And if not at this location, at any of a 1001 other sidings. And if not this cargo, any of a 1001 different types of military cargo...

Yeah, well, just wondering, that's all, as in For Educational Purposes and Speculation Only type wondering. Definitely not suggesting anyone actually do it. That would be illegal... Just wondering if a newly legislated class of po'd criminals could pull it off?

The railroads stopped using cabooses years ago. The next time you are sitting at a rail crossing, watching the freight train go by, the end of the last car will have a 1 ft by 2 foot box on the coupling.

These remote radio devices are called "End of Train" devices, or EOTs. These are coupled into the train's air brake line.

The EOT radios information to the engineer regarding the brake pressure at the rear of the train, whether or not the last car is moving, and whether or not the flashing red light is working (activated at night by a sensor). The EOT also allows the engineer to set the air brakes from the rear of the train in the event the train breaks in two, thus, in an emergency, setting brakes on both halves of the train.