Editing Observation car (section)

{{Short description|Train car with large windows for rear viewing}}
{{Other uses|Spy basket{{!}}Observation car}}
[[Image:Heavyweight observation.jpg|thumb|300px|A [[Passenger car (rail)#Heavyweight vs. lightweight|heavyweight]] observation on display at the [[Illinois Railway Museum]]]]
[[File:London and North Western Railway observation car No 1503 at Kingscote.jpg|thumb|[[London and North Western Railway|LNWR]] observation car No 1503 at Kingscote, [[Bluebell Railway]]]]
An '''observation car/carriage/coach''' (in US English, often abbreviated to simply '''observation''' or '''obs''') is a type of [[railroad]] [[Passenger car (rail)|passenger car]], generally operated in a passenger train as the rearmost carriage, with windows or a platform on the rear of the car for passengers' viewing pleasure. The cars were nearly universally removed from service on American railroads beginning in the 1950s as a cost-cutting measure in order to eliminate the need to "turn" the trains when operating out of stub-end terminals.

The [[Push-pull train|push-pull]] mode of operation removes this limitation. In Europe, various trains are now fitted with observation cars at either or both ends.