During the summer of 2009 both exterior and interior work continued on the GN caboose. Members of the Great Northern Railway Historical Society provided paint samples and painting/lettering diagrams, allowing us to proceed with an historically accurate exterior restoration. The caboose was repainted into GN red with the original 1930s style black trim. Using donated tongue and groove oak flooring, a new floor was installed. In the summer of 2010 further work proceeded on interior restoration, including the rebuilding of the doors and some windows. New ladder platforms on each end of the roof were built and installed. A trackside viewing platform deck was added, some of the wood used was milled right at our site. The platform is not visible on the west side of the caboose. As of Fall, 2010 most work on the caboose has been completed. Remaining tasks include lettering, some painting on the porches, and a few other minor tasks. The plan is to complete the lettering (including the GN "billygoat" and lettering on one side and a recreation of the McCloud River Railroad logo and lettering on the other) in 2011.

The original GN caboose stove was long gone when the caboose arrived at Black Butte. Luckily some friends found this classic SP "smoke consumer" pot belly caboose stove at an action and brought it up to us. Originally a coal burner, it works reasonably well using wood.

Four years ago the consensus among many observers was that this caboose was too far gone to ever be successfully restored. It was a huge ambitious project and if it had been left to one or two people, it very well may not have happened. But thanks to the assistance of dozens of friends and volunteers, including several very skilled carpenters, we made it happen! At this point caboose X746 is functioning as a cozy office space while providing a historically accurate exterior representation of a steam-era caboose.