Today in Cheyenne on removal of the siding on our 1880 UP caboose 2095, we uncovered what we believe to be evidence of its former existence as 1150 a six window caboose with octagonal cupola from 1870, this has been shown to noted historians who so far agree with my detective work. 2095 was renumbered in 1885 from UP 1150 and has a build date of 1880, we believe that to be a RE build date from the earlier design. There is clear evidence of additional diagonal framing to the bodyside and oak uprights framing the 3 blocked up windows. cut off retaining strips above each window also add evidence. there are no plans or dating records for these cabooses except that photos show them from 1870 onwards until the NCS cabooses appear in 1880 with square narrow cupolas. Seems common sense to us that you would rebuild 10 year old cabooses rather than build new.
This is the first of TWO historically incredible announcements that High Plains Preservation based in Cheyenne have coming out in the near future. The second involves a 1866 car body in Cheyenne of national historic importance.......more to follow.
We have a Go Fund me in place for caboose 2095 in order to restore it to a period in time to be determined, but likely 1870s. Please help if you can thankyou.

Mike Pannell
Cheyenne

Good detective work. Here are some notes on the remains of another 1880s UP caboose.

Car Body 8’6” by 30’ 2 truss rods


Truck #1 wood beam arch bar (OR&N and illegible number on bolster)
Axel #1 LOBDELL CAR WHEEL CO WIL DEL APRIL 8 1880 2½ 6½
“ “ March 2 1880 “ “
Axel #2 MAHER & BRAYTON CLEVELAND O 5 9 88
“ “ “ 5 11 88

Truck #2 wood beam arch bar (OR&N 26179 and illegible number on bolster)
Axel #1 LOBDELL CAR WHEEL CO WIL DEL Jan 26 1882
“ “
both C G LOBDELL PATENT JAN 1869

Axel #2 FORT MADISON IRON WORKS FORT MADISON IOWA #2188 OCT 4 ‘89
FORT MADISON IRON WORKS FORT MADISON IOWA #2627 NOV 18 ‘89

Couplers End #1 illegible
End #2 STANDARD C CO NY

According to Terry Metcalf the best identification for this car is Oregon Railway & Navigation Co. caboose #218, built by the OR&N at The Dalles, OR in August 1888. This car became Oregon-Washington Railway & Navigation Co. #3516 and was wrecked in April 1916. It would seem that the frame and trucks were sold to Polson at that time.

Frame and trucks to Roots of Motive Power at Willits, CA 06-26-12.

fantastic find.

How widespread was the use of octagonal cupolas and what was the general time frame of their use? How common are photographs of them?

Octagonal Cupolas appear to be a 10 or 15 year time period, photos are rare, i maybe have seen 8 photos of these cabooses. we have no arrangement drawings and therefore have no idea whether anyone stood or sat in that cupola. im hoping the 2 inch oak floor in 2095 may shed light on this and other living arrangements.

Mike

Is any of the roof original, and if so, can you see the outline of the octagonal cupola?

What are "retaining strips"?

Mike,

The reason I ask is because I saw a photo of a caboose with an octagonal cupola recently posted either here or on NGDF, and I think it was the latter. It was a high angle shot showing the caboose standing in a yard with a lot of other rolling stock, buildings and facilities, was probably 500 feet from the camera. It was in the background and the discussion was focused on some other piece of equipment nearer the camera. I commented on it, but nobody acknowledged it. Other than that photo, I don’t recall ever seeing a caboose with an octagonal cupola before. I never knew they existed.

I cannot find any note that I might have made of that photo. It was within the last 6-12 months. I am trying to figure out how to find that photo. Maybe by my description you might know of the photo.

Mike,

I found the photo. It is the fourth photo in your first post of your thread started on 8/18/18, on NGDF.

http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/read.php ... msg-355679

Retaining strips are pieces of wood that ran across the top inside the window and allowed the window to lift up parallel with the body, thats what the two screws are holding in but the middle of the wood has been cut out.

The Cheyenne photo is 1890s so yes there were some octagonal cupola cabooses around then still but we dont believe in general service, at least no photos show them in actual train service by then. Most of these were rebuilt with regular narrow cupolas and then later lost more windows as well.

Mike Pannell

Mike -

I know nothing about older UP caboose classes - Does the NCS class begin with 2096? Or did UP eventually lump all of the older cabeese into a single class of generally obsolete designs?

I notice your 2095 is not the same as the 2096 you posted on NGDF (or the assumed 20xx posted directly above it), the cupolas are different on the two 20xx versions on NGDF and the octagonal cupola job on NGDF post is a seven window. Plus a photo I have of a 201x is a six window with an entirely different style of rectangular cupola and horizontal siding. That's five variations, and three major distinctions, in just five units.

Do the historians know how many different types/builders there were of these many-windowed types?

A couple of down the road questions - If you restore this one to 1870s would you build a pair of the correct lighter short-wheelbase trucks for it as under the 1112? Arch top windows? And are those old paint schemes straw yellow? Lettering color looks like maybe a dark green with bottom left red shadow on the 201x. Sharp. Would be great to see an original style complete 1870s octagonal in living color. Keep up the good work. Wish I could help.