| Project by Karson | posted 464 days ago | 1683 views | 0 times favorited | 19 comments |  |
 |
I’ve had a few comments and questions about the restoration of the City of Delmar DE / MD Train Caboose.
One of the local businessmen who has a bar across the street from the caboose got a restoration committee going to spearhead some work in the city of Delmar.
The city was an old railroad town with a switching center and repair facility in town. Delmar is about half way from the northern border of Delaware where a link with Philadelphia /Baltimore trains would be connected to and the southern tip of Virginia where it is in the Delmarva Peninsula. (That Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, that make up the three states in the peninsula.) The peninsula is a gigantic sandbar that covers the area between the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.
Many years ago the town was given the caboose and also the train station. No one wanted to maintain the train station and it was torn down. A real loss because I understand that it was beautiful and had a second floor because of all of the train employees that were in the area.
The caboose needed some repair work. The restoration committee contacted the Mason-Dixon Woodworking Club (Toy workshop) to see if we could help. Our workshop that we use is about 3 blocks from the caboose. I offered to build what was necessary in my shop at home.
It started with the windows.
I was suppose to make two windows but before I got completed with all of the work a vagrant climbed up on the roof of the caboose and put his foot through a window and climbed inside to sleep on the cots inside. The police caught him some time following that. So a third window was required.
Then I needed to make a door. 
It also had been destroyed by vandals.
Weather had not been kind to the caboose and some siding boards needed to be made. They were tongue and groove and I made them out of Popular. Window molding was made to look like the original profile. A couple of pieces were still present on the caboose.
A facia board was also required because the original was split and falling apart. It was on the left end of the caboose.
All the assorted parts were provided to the painter who had been contracted to install the parts and to paint the caboose.
The paint color that was selected was the original color that was used on the Pennsylvania Railroad, who provided the caboose. The color is quite different from the previous color.
The restoration was completed last fall and a dedication ceremony was held. We got no recognition at that ceremony for the work that we completed, but the painter got thanked and he got paid.
Here are some additional pictures from inside the caboose if you have never seen inside. And if you have seen inside a caboose they are still here.
The door on one end with two cots. Notice the missing panel where feet and bodies got inside.
Standing by those cots and looking the other direction was a water tank and sink. It drained through the floor.
Behind the sink is a compartment that had picks, shovels, pry bars, wrenches etc.
Between two compartments were steps that led you up to seats above that allowed you to look out the windows and look at the train in front of you or track behind you. Unless you were facing the other way.
Standing by the steps you see the stove and coal box for your storage of heating supplies.
There was a small table for eating or filling out the required reports of the days activities.
Looking back to the first door you see another desk and another cot.
The steps are lightly visable on the right between the two compartments. I believe that one of those was the outhouse (Water Closet, Privy, Restroom) The transportation laws were changed to stop the dumping of raw sewage unto the train tracks, a holding tank was required.
The seats for the observation tower was on top of the storage compartments.
It was a lot of fun to do this project and it was my first set of windows and my first passage door.
I know this isn’t a caboose, but, it is a great picture from many years ago. A great shot
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
19 comments so far
thetimberkid
home | projects | blog
1944 posts in 595 days
posted 464 days ago
Looks great!
Thanks for the post
Callum
-- For wood working podcasts with a twist check out http://thetimberkid.com/
griff
home | projects | blog
921 posts in 654 days
posted 464 days ago
Karson thanks for the tour. I`v never seen inside a caboose before. Looks like you did a great build.
-- Mike, Bruce Mississippi = Jack of many trades master of none
jeanmarc
home | projects | blog
1750 posts in 608 days
posted 463 days ago
loks great, beautiful job
-- jeanmarc manosque france
Lee A. Jesberger
home | projects | blog
3710 posts in 871 days
posted 463 days ago
Nice blog Karson;
Funny how we acquire our experience in woodworking.
Restoration work is a very good way to learn carpentry / construction methods.
Much of my early General Contracting Business revolved around Historic restoration, although in my case it was buildings. I’ve never been a caboose man. Well actually…
Nice job;
Lee
-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com
trifern
home | projects | blog
7894 posts in 659 days
posted 463 days ago
Thanks for the update Karson. Thank you for helping preserve a bit of American history. I grew up close to the Burlington Northern railroad and a railroad tie plant.
-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.
Mark Shymanski
home | projects | blog
1554 posts in 604 days
posted 463 days ago
Cool project. Great result, too bad they didn’t acknowledge the effort. Thanks for the post.
-- ...it's rennovation time!!!
Tim Pursell
home | projects | blog
388 posts in 674 days
posted 463 days ago
Too bad you did not get any recognition for all your time & expertise in restoring a piece of American history.
My Father spent 33 years in Cabooses just like this one & believe me they did more than just this at “(There was) a small table for eating or filling out the required reports of the days activities.” many a poker or cribbage hand was delt across these tables. LOL
Thanks for sharing & bringing back memories that our children will never have.
-- http://www.grandprairiewoodworks.com http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6453794
Dick, & Barb Cain
home | projects | blog
7034 posts in 1191 days
posted 463 days ago
Nice job Karson, too bad your club wasn’t recognized for all of your fine work.
I’ve lived close to railroad tracks all of my life, & I miss the old cabooses.
The cabooses in our area were line with tongue, & grooved car siding.
One of the brakemen, or conductors used to play a tune with the whistle while going past our house.
Things have really changed. No more puffing, & smoke from the steam locomotive,
just the droning roar of the diesel.
I have a caboose lantern in my cabin, that’s used for a light above our snack bar.
I attached a reflector shade to the bottom, & electrified it.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
CharlieM1958
home | projects | blog
7599 posts in 1110 days
posted 463 days ago
Great job, Karson. Thanks for the tour!
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
SteveKorz
home | projects | blog
2030 posts in 606 days
posted 463 days ago
I like to take something old and make it new… great job on this! I really enjoyed the tour!
-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17) †
TedM
home | projects | blog
1840 posts in 624 days
posted 463 days ago
Karson, great job! Kudos to you and your woodworking club.
-- I'm a wood magician... I can turn fine lumber into firewood before your very eyes! - http://www.woodworkersguide.com
MsDebbieP
home | projects | blog
14159 posts in 1052 days
posted 463 days ago
bravo, Karson!!! Bravo.
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Maddhatter
home | projects | blog
74 posts in 469 days
posted 463 days ago
Well done Karson, I will have to stop in and check it out,
Thanks for keeping our DE History alive for all to enjoy
-- Norm (AKA - The Maddhatter), Middletown DE
Bob #2
home | projects | blog
3033 posts in 913 days
posted 463 days ago
Thanks Karson:
You folks should be very proud!
Bob
-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner
Karson
home | projects | blog
25794 posts in 1292 days
posted 463 days ago
I was told about a different design caboose. it was a Bay Window Caboose. This is a picture of one for sale on the internet for 19,999. It was part of a train home that someone had built. All of the rooms were train cars and you walked from one car to the other to get to the different rooms.
It is for sale here
I don’t know how long this link will be active.
I would think that two bay Window cabooses passing each other would be quite close together. Not the time to do a high-five.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
Richard Williams
home | projects | blog
142 posts in 684 days
posted 463 days ago
Expecting the Unexpected has become Expected from a Talented Guy like you. Fantastic my friend.
-- Rich, Nevada,
scarpenter002
home | projects | blog
93 posts in 797 days
posted 443 days ago
Thank you for the update. You can tell it was a first class restoration all the way.
-- Scott in Texas
CessnaPilotBarry
home | projects | blog
1262 posts in 594 days
posted 442 days ago
Nice.
I would LOVE to be part of a project like that. Great job!
-- - Please help keep Lumberjocks an enjoyable escape by refusing to participate in political discussions. Simply spit out the bait and ignore the thread...
Karson
home | projects | blog
25794 posts in 1292 days
posted 354 days ago
I got notified last week that another Vandal broke through the door that I made. So I need to make another one. The first one was Popular. I might have to go for Oak on the next one and then put a steel plate on the back.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †