The caboose supported train crews by carrying the conductor, brakeman, and flagman, and by providing a stove for cooking and heating, bunks for rest, and a desk for the conductor's business. Cupolas were added after the Civil War to improve visibility along the train. By the 1950s, cabooses became electrified, and by the 1960s, steel-bodied cars replaced wooden ones. Although the caboose has fallen out of use, the little car at the end of the train remains a beloved American icon.