But there's one more red caboose song, recorded by Henry Thomas, sometime between 1927 and 1929.

Here's my by-ear transcription from the Yazoo CD, The Story That the Crow Told Me (Volume 2)

The Little Red Caboose
(recorded by Henry Thomas, 1927-29)

Well, the little red caboose, little red caboose,
Comin' behind the train.
Little red caboose, little red caboose,
Comin' behind the train.

Oh, get your ticket and get on board,
Comin' behind the train.
Oh, get your ticket and get on board,
Comin' behind the train.

Well, I look down the road about forty miles,
Comin' behind the train.
Yes, I look down the road about forty miles
Comin' behind the train.

Well, the little red caboose, little red caboose,
Comin' behind the train.
Little red caboose, little red caboose,
Comin' behind the train.

Yes, she's blowin' the whistle, blowin' loud and strong
Comin' behind the train.
She's blowin' the whistle, blowin' loud and strong
Comin' behind the train.

The little red caboose, little red caboose,
Comin' behind the train.
Little red caboose, little red caboose,
Comin' behind the train.


The little red caboose, little red caboose,
Comin' behind the train.
Little red caboose, little red caboose,
Comin' behind the train.

---

Now, this one is very close to the kids' song we all know. I'll betcha the kid's song was derived from it. Still the kids' song is different enough that's I'd think the 1941 copyright holds. I wish they'd cut copyrights to 50 years or something reasonable. Instead, Sonny Bono and his cronies sold public domain up the river in the U.S. I'm glad the UK didn't go along with that.
-Joe-