might mention
the LGB drovers caboose-really ISNT
it is a rough approximation of a single protoype combine, converted to include a cupola-on the pagosa springs branch of the DRGW
it was used in mixed freights, limited passenger revenue on the branch
-the cupola allowed the crew to keep on eye on the trains freight cars-overheating journal boxes and the like - no need for a caboose-just stuff in the odd passenger and baggage and the train crew behind the freight cars
similar looking cabooses in the US -ie with baggage or side doors-often were made from older equipment -often box cars, or baggage cars or combines, converted to cabooses (side doors were very dangerous and i l believe eventually outlawed-
as for actual 'drovers cabooses'-being a western type and somewhat of a reader of US rr stuff all my life
dont think ive ever actually seen one-i will tell you i have NEVER seen one in any of my many many US RR books referred to as a drovers caboose or referenced as being for bovine caretakers en route never heard the term used among railroad types -only heard it in reference to this style of LGB car, as coined by the LGB catalogs i think
nor have i ever seen one on the long strings of stock cars in photos-only a standard caboose
being rather fond of cowboy lore , and a good steak
i think the overall start to finish process was generally-
graze cattle until suitably fed,
-gather cattle in pen near RR siding
load cattel from pens into stock cars-
deliver to siding near or at stock yards or processing plant
i believe stockyards had thier own cow persons to move stock, i know slaughterhouses did
the denver stockyards had full time cow staff-there is a different skill, i beleive , to moving many cattle in a stock pen versus on the range
-i imagine that along with transport fees from the RR there were fees for schlepping the cows on the other end
dont think i am aware of cowboys traveling on the trains with the designated 'victims'
don think they sent them via train to better grazing areas-cowboys drove the herds to do this
not sure why the term Drovers caboose has been used so widely with the LGB pagosa spring car-i speculate it was one of thier marketing wizards-either german orf some non train 'dude' from new jersey! LOL
of course i could be wrong -just never heard of this practice in all of my reading about trains and cowboys
(of course on a circus train -the whole train was meant for the crew and animals etc-not the same tho!)