Loved the footage of the caboose. So many of these have been turned into camps or hot dog stands, it is great to see one that is still relatively complete, as it was in service. These survivors are real treasures and this one appears to be very sound. Hopefully someone will step up and preserve it. It has been my observation that most of these that get converted don't get used all that much and, after an initial several years of attention, they get closed up and then deteriorate. Conversion is often the long kiss of death for a wooden caboose. They go from an interesting relic of a bygone industrial age to a second-rate, small trailer that cannot be moved. Yes, some people will do a lot more than skim it with paneling and slap in some prefab windows, but it will have lost its heritage and become little more than a slightly more interesting tiny home. It is very difficult to take a caboose, with its 4" thick walls and total lack of insulation, open up the sides to fix the rot that is inevitable after sitting outdoors for a century, and make it a 4-season, habitable structure while retaining its ties to its functional past. The best thing for this car would be to be adopted by a historical group who will go through it and, restore it. Modern regulations make the amount of work to make a wooden, friction bearing car into rolling stock at least twice as much as restoration as a static display. The biggest issue with doing anything with a caboose, of course, is that they weigh upwards of 25 tons, making their resale very low as the cost of moving one will always exceed its value. It can be hard to give one away.
Hasn't moved for a long time, and that caboose looks like it was built over 100 years ago. Probably there waiting for a decision on either repair and put back in service, or turn into scrap and write off. Could be converted into a nice cabin if you had a house by the tracks, and had a disused siding right next to the property to pull it onto for the work and leave it there, or attach to a freight for a trip.
Loved the footage of the caboose. So many of these have been turned into camps or hot dog stands, it is great to see one that is still relatively complete, as it was in service. These survivors are real treasures and this one appears to be very sound. Hopefully someone will step up and preserve it. It has been my observation that most of these that get converted don't get used all that much and, after an initial several years of attention, they get closed up and then deteriorate. Conversion is often the long kiss of death for a wooden caboose. They go from an interesting relic of a bygone industrial age to a second-rate, small trailer that cannot be moved. Yes, some people will do a lot more than skim it with paneling and slap in some prefab windows, but it will have lost its heritage and become little more than a slightly more interesting tiny home. It is very difficult to take a caboose, with its 4" thick walls and total lack of insulation, open up the sides to fix the rot that is inevitable after sitting outdoors for a century, and make it a 4-season, habitable structure while retaining its ties to its functional past. The best thing for this car would be to be adopted by a historical group who will go through it and, restore it. Modern regulations make the amount of work to make a wooden, friction bearing car into rolling stock at least twice as much as restoration as a static display. The biggest issue with doing anything with a caboose, of course, is that they weigh upwards of 25 tons, making their resale very low as the cost of moving one will always exceed its value. It can be hard to give one away.
Hasn't moved for a long time, and that caboose looks like it was built over 100 years ago. Probably there waiting for a decision on either repair and put back in service, or turn into scrap and write off. Could be converted into a nice cabin if you had a house by the tracks, and had a disused siding right next to the property to pull it onto for the work and leave it there, or attach to a freight for a trip.
Thanks Ben. I had a good time.
Excellent video brother👍
That switch engine looks like it may be an ex UP SW10...
Nice💥
What a waste , could turn into a home👍
Where is this located
West side of Lorain Ohio. Near old Ford plant
OHIO.... it looks like your somewhat local to me
Hey Rick, I’m on the far west side of Cleveland. Up near the lake.
Stainless steel 95cents a pound!