78. Coal jimmies and caboose cars. The use of cars known and designated as "coal jimmies" in any form and the use of any car as a caboose unless it shall have a suitable and safe platform at each end thereof, and the usual railing for the protection of persons using such platform, shall be unlawful within the state, except upon any railroad whose main line is less than fifteen miles in length and whose average grade exceeds two hundred feet to the mile. This section shall not be construed to authorize the interchange of such "coal jimmies" with, and the use thereof upon, railroads of more than fifteen miles in length or whose average grade is less than two hundred feet to the mile.
From and after the first day of July, nineteen hundred and twenty-four it shall be unlawful for any corporation or individual to man, equip, or to use within the state on any railroad a caboose car, or car to serve the purpose of a caboose car, which shall be less than twenty-four feet in length exclusive of the platform, or which shall have a center constructive strength less than that of the fifty-ton freight cars built according to master car builders' standards. Such caboose or other equivalent car shall be constructed with steel center sills with two four-wheeled trucks; with each platform not less than twenty-four inches wide, with proper guard rails, grab irons and steps, which shall be equipped with a suitable rod, board or other guard designed to prevent slipping from the car step. Each such car shall have a door at each end and shall be equipped with four separate sleeping berths not less than six feet and two inches in length. Each such car shall contain a properly furnished toilet room, sink, icebox, water cooler, clothing lockers, fire extinguishers, and with either a cupola of sufficient size to accommodate at least two men or bay windows. Each such car on every freight train shall be equipped with electric markers of sufficient candle power to be visible for a distance of three thousand feet under normal weather conditions. Flashing type or constant burning markers shall be deemed a sufficient compliance with the foregoing requirement. The glass in all windows and doors of each such car shall be shatterproof. Whenever any caboose or other car used for like purpose now in use by any such railroad company shall, after this act goes into effect, be brought into any shop for general repairs it shall be unlawful to again put the same into use within this state, as a caboose or other car used for like purpose unless it be equipped as provided in this act. All cabooses built after January first, nineteen hundred sixty-five must be of steel construction and equipped with electric lights.
This section shall not apply to cabooses or other equivalent cars used in the switching service or on trains operated wholly within twenty-five miles of yard limits.
Any violation of the provisions of this section shall be a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars for each separate offense. This penalty is in addition to that provided for in section eighty-one of this chapter.
Last modified: February 3, 2019