Hi,

I found this boarded up caboose yesterday just off of Veteran's Parkway in Bloomington, Illinois near the Famous Dave's restaurant. I walked around it and climbed onto the strawberry patch where I found a stamp that said "C&O C-177." I have no idea of this caboose's origins and since I'm not a big eastern railroad fan, I don't know what the stamp means. Any information would be much appreciated. And for all of you foamers, don't worry, the trucks are sitting nearby and are fully intact.

Thomas

So Lehigh Valley N5 style. Correct window arrangement; cast steps etc.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsList ... d=LV&cid=1

Apparently the rock island got some second hand from the lv...
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsPict ... ?id=204613


I'd imagine that is the likely reason it is in IL... or someone saved it from Conrail...

Hope that helps...

PS. If you had a better resolution you may be able to decode the ACI tag.

boblenon -

Looks like the LV cabooses had two sets of double windows; this car has two sets of single windows. My guess is not ex-LV, unless there were some OTHER Lehigh Valley center cupola cabooses.

Thomas -

I was just on Veteran's Parkway in Bloomington two weeks ago. Wish I had noticed it. The key to the identity may be the trucks. Did you happen to see if any railroad initials were cast into them?


Les

NOT. LV N5s have 4 body windows, this has two. Cast steps yes, but LV castings are 3 steps, this has two, with distinctive stepbacks, not LV. Looks to me like a C&O 902xx series. See https://www.kohs.com/Caboose_Pages/CO_S ... Intro.html Also the single small end window matches these.

Also look for numbers on the center sill and C&O casting marks on the truck frames, and yes, a good view of the tag would go a long way to proper ID.

Trainkid - climbed up on the 'strawberry patch'?

I'll be heading that way tomorrow, as it happens. Where exactly is it relative to Famous Dave's?

Just an interesting tidbit, Missouri Pacific had very similar cars, from Magor. Steps were different, though, being of sheet metal "Pullman" style rather than the cast steps C&O used.



Source:

http://www.trainweb.org/screamingeagle/caboose1.html

well chalk that up to me having a long day :)

Cast steps, single windows with awnings, that looks extremely C&O-ish. If someone has a roster.... Can't find one online.

Eric -

I agree that it looks like C&O or Pere Marquette. The number mentioned though (C-177), is not a C&O or PM series number as I recall.


Les

I lived 200 feet from Veteran's Parkway (and the former IC Bloomington District, in the process of being torn out at that time) exactly 30 years ago, but there was no Famous Dave's then. Could you give us a cross street? I don't recognize the yellow brick building, unless it is the old GE plant.

Hi,

PMC and Randall--The closest address to the caboose I can find is 1602 Commerce Parkway. It's located about 100 feet due east of that address.

Les--I did not closely inspect the trucks although now I wish I would have. I may go back out that way this weekend to take a closer look if I have some time.

TrainDetainer--The term "strawberry patch" is what I was told as a kid meant the platforms on either end of the caboose, most likely an old railroad nickname.

Thomas

I agree - that doesn't fit as a car number. Or a class number. But it certainly looks like one of those built around '41-'42 or so. Magor or St. Louis maybe? Don't recall, not enough coffee yet....

According to the Kohs site I posted earlier, they were built for C&O and PM by AC&F in '49, but I'm not a follower of either road so FWIW. C&O 90219 is displayed with Blt 7-49. PM numbers appear to be A9xx numbered but A909 is stenciled Blt 12-34 and A986 appears to be 12-41. Another item - notice the end window on the non-stove end of PM units is on the right. On the mystery unit it's on the left, but it appears that 90219 might be as well as the only pic I see doesn't show the jack (unless 90219 is actually a PM unit standing in for or swapped in at some point by C&O).

Thomas - never heard of platforms called strawberry patches - interesting. I have heard of fields of red dwarf signals at large passenger terminals called that. I first heard it at Tower 49 at Buffalo.

That is on the south-east end of town, not far from the old Peoria and Eastern/PC/Conrail line, which NS is planning to tear out if they haven't already.

Is this the same caboose:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=4317681

It was removed from a restaurant at the old GM&O depot in Lincoln IL a few years back, which I just remembered:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=38657&hilit=passenger+car+road+northern+illinois

Someone on a closed facebook group told me the building has slot machines in it and that the caboose will be part of that operation somehow.