Caboose
CABOOSE
The original caboose was built of metal about 1950, but was altered in 1967. It is 40 feet long, 15 ¾ feet high to the top of the cupola, and 25 tons in weight.
After the caboose was retired from service, it was purchased in 1983 from the Illinois Central Railroad by KVHS for $2,000.
Then it was delivered by rail from Waterloo, Iowa, to a railroad siding next to Falls Products on Sycamore Street on May 10, 1984.
Railroad tracks had been placed in front of the depot during the summer of 1979 in hopes of obtaining a caboose, engine, or a passenger car.
The KVHS Board of Directors decided to move the caboose onto those tracks. To accomplish this, the tracks were extended by 20 feet in August 1984.
Since the original refurbishing of the caboose, continual repairs have been on-going to keep the caboose in good condition for visitors.
The caboose was finally moved to the front of the museum April 27, 1985.
The caboose was heated by a pot-bellied stove that has a rim around the top to retain the pots and pans. It was lighted with kerosene lanterns, since it had no electricity.
It included three bunks for the crew, a washroom, an icebox, a wooden desk, and a "toilet."
Hose connectors between the cars were included on the caboose to control the air brakes. A control valve in the back of the caboose
enabled the conductor to send messages to the engineer in the locomotive. Near the door as you leave is a whistle used to warn people when the train is backing up.
Once the caboose was moved to the museum, the restoration project was implemented with Ed Paulson as chairman of the project in 1986.
April 13, 1986, meeting, a tentative budget for the caboose restoration was set at $700. The November 5, 1986, minutes noted Ed and Alice Paulson had paid for roofing the caboose.
Discussion of caboose repairs continued, but the need became very clear when the board members were told at their September 18, 1989, meeting, an animal had gotten into the caboose through the toilet and gnawed wood. By the October 16, 1989, meeting, the board had hired Mike Wallin to start repairing the caboose windows. One caboose window was repaired by March 19,
1990, at a cost of $140.00, but there were three more that needed attention. It was announced at the May 21, 1990, meeting, Mike Wallin had finished repairing the cupola windows. The decision was made to accept the $800.00 bid from Dane Duval at the March 18, 1991, meeting, to sandblast, prime and paint the caboose exterior. The selected color for the exterior was Imron Red, which was the original color before 1969.
Don Beardsley was hired to stencil the caboose and to make the sign. In April 1991, Bill Gylleck started to paint the interior of the caboose Willow Green. The work was completed by Bill, Carrol Aken, Jim Justis and John Wagner in May 1991.
This original restoration work was completed in May 1991.
Maintenance continues on the caboose. The latest roof repair was completed November 10, 2021. At the annual meeting of the KVHS in Nov. of 2021 it was recommended that a roof be constructed over the caboose.
The painting and repair of the rusting portions of the caboose was a conversation for some 2 years. Several inquires to professional painters were not productive, until we approached a professional restorer, Roger Keys. In April of 2022 the board made a contract with Mr. Keys to remove the rust, paint, and apply new paint and lettering. The project will begin in June and take approximately 3 months.
Scaffolding is in place for the work to progress.
Roger Keys is putting sand into the pressure washer. The high pressure washer will be used to remove all of the paint and rust from the caboose.
Half of the south side of the caboose has been stripped of its paint revealing a black rectangle with lettering. This is a code identifying the caboose and was used for a limited time to identify train cars as they passed by.
After the sandblasting phosphoric acid was applied to the metal caboose to bind with the metal so the oxygen in the air could not continue the rusting processes.
Places where the rust had gone threw the metal was repaired.
Painting is completed. The color was chosen to be identical to the original paint that was applied when the caboose was first created!!
Application of stencils for all the lettering is applied. You will notice that the windows, front and back doors, and side doors have been removed. They are being refurbished in Roger's workshop.
Lettering is in place and door is also!! New glass in the door
Ready for visitors!!!