Northern Pacific Caboose #1318 gets a 100th Brirthday Present - New Paint!

With the help of a $1,000.00 grant from Security National Bank in Sioux City, Iowa. Volunteers of The Railroad Museum, Sioux City have been busy over the past 5 months saving another piece of American History. Northern Pacific Caboose #1318 was built in 1913 at the Tacoma, WA shops of the Northern Pacific Railway Company. This 24 foot wood caboose needed quite a bit of love to help restore it. One entire wall was severely rotted and required the wall supports to be jacked up so the wood and structural supports could be replaced. Two bunks and a table were also reinstalled to meet the original blueprint designs. Many external pieces of wood also needed to be replaced and new windows installed throughout. Although the restoration is not 100% with the upgrades, paint and repairs the caboose is now physically sound and our visitors will be able to see another beautiful piece of America's past.

This past Saturday, August 3rd, 2013, found our volunteers and volunteers from Security National Bank working side by side repainting the caboose back to it's original colors. Many people may remember this caboose as one the yellow cabooses that used to greet people at the KD Stockyard Station shopping complex that was built in the former Swift pork packing plant in the Sioux City Stockyards. Below are some before and after pictures of the painting party held this past Saturday. If our plans hold together and the weather cooperates the caboose painting will be complete and will be on outside display for all to see and walk through during our 11th Annual Ag/Rail Heritage Festival coming up on August 17th and 18th, Saturday 10 am - 6 pm and Sunday 10 am - 4 pm.

Our wonderful financial supporter and volunteers from Security National Bank. Thank You!

Northern Pacific Caboose #1318 returns back to it's original colors. This wood caboose was built in 1913 at the Northern Pacific Shops in Tacoma, WA. Happy 100th Birthday!

Interior view of the two newly re-installed bunks and folding table with the original two tone paint freshly applied. For those that have been in this caboose recently it was dark and dingy and hard to see. We have actually used it as a haunted caboose the past two years during our Halloween event. It is now bright and cheery.

Here is a look at the cupola area of the caboose. With the new windows and fresh paint it has really brightened up the inside of the caboose. The open area under the cupola seating originally had sliding doors and was used for storage. We intend to leave this area open, enclosed with plexiglass and lighting and house artifacts and other displays in this area in the future.

This is an actual picture of caboose #1318 while still in service. As you can see it was even in pretty rough condition at the time this undated photo was taken.

Here is a clearer photo of a sister caboose # 1324 which may give you a better idea of what the finished appearance of #1318 will look like when completed.