One of the BBCRC's first projects is support for the restoration of a historic wooden caboose, rescued from the woods outside Mount Shasta where it had been slowly deteriorating for many years. The caboose was built in 1930 by the Great Northern Railway at its St. Cloud, Minnesota shops. It worked on the GN for many years and then was "handed down" to the McCloud River Railway in August of 1956 (the Great Northern's Bieber line formerly connected with the McCloud River at Lookout, CA). Renumbered #34 by McCloud, the caboose stayed in service until 1963 when it was retired. It was equipped with brass whistles for the long back-up moves required due to the switchback between McCloud and Mount Shasta.
While it is in poor condition, the BBCRC is committed to an authentic restoration of the caboose at its new home at Black Butte Junction on the outskirts of Weed, California. Donations, of money, materials, and volunteer labor to help with the restoration, are now being sought.
The caboose was donated by the Shasta-Cascade Rail Preservation Society which had previously taken title to the caboose. SCRPS is a committed group of rail historians based in Redding, CA. Their chairperson, Matt Shuman, made a special trip up to Oregon to recover the caboose steps in advance of the move. See their website at "www.scrps.com". Rails and ties for the caboose were generously donated by the Central Oregon and Pacific Railway. The move was done by Carlton Enterprises of Burney, CA in an excellent and professional manner and at a very concessional price. Thanks to everyone who helped facilitate the move!
photo of caboose window by Toby Hardman
Below are links to photos of the caboose from its early days on the McCloud River Railway up to its new home at Black Butte:
- early photos of the caboose on Jeff Moore's website (late 1950's)
- recent photos of the caboose (October 1995)
- winterizing the caboose (November 2006)
- preparations for the move (May 2007)
- the initial caboose move on Marty Nile's website (June 2007)
- the delivery of the caboose (June 2007)
- Michael Ismerio's photos of the caboose move (June 2007)
- an article about the caboose move written by Earl Bolender for the Mt. Shasta (CA) Herald (June 2007)
- photos taken during the initial rehabilitation period (Summer 2007)
- photos taken during the second rehabilitation period (Summer 2008)