Was there a problem with a train being operated without a caboose?
Train safety issue...caboose was for brakemen and conductors...they were replaced by the “End of Train Device”:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End-of-train_device
No problem leaving the cabooses off. Just hang a device on the end of the last car that signals the engineer if the back of the train doesn’t stay connected to the front. Cut the crew size in half. And for some reason, they didn’t seem to need a fireman to shovel the coal on those diesel locomotives.
Side note - the Railroad is owned (for the last couple of years) by Mexicans now.