Ah, the lead bogeyman. What does the city require when a painting contractor works on one of their buildings? If your restoration contractor follows the same guidelines, it should be fine.

When I had the windows replaced on my Dad's sixty year old house, I had to pay extra for a lead test, which, of course, turned out positive. I then had to pay extra for "lead remediation". which consisted of laying down tarps and "proper disposal" of the collected chips. Supposedly, the removed windows and frames also needed special disposal, but that is likely just a leach-proof landfill, which most are now days.

If lead paint was reason to not do maintenance and renovations, nothing would ever get repainted. I would hazard a guess that there is more lead in the paint on the city streetlight poles than is on that caboose.

Your city engineer or building department should be able to come up with a remediation protocol for repainting an older structure; just write it into the restoration contract.

Living in Mt. Airy is great. We've done a lot of homework for this project and I am confident that with 2014 pricing, we have set ourselves up for the best quality and long-term durability of C-2095. Of course we hate the price tag! But welcome to 2014. I'm as much an "old fart" as anyone else... but we've looked at 4 other cabooses in the area and had several carpenters and contractors examine the work to be done. While a couple came in at lower pricing, it was not significantly lower, and based on being a "Town" sponsored restoration in a park (if they were to do it), their estimates "skirted" the many regulations our "state" government has thrust upon us for our own good. SO ON WITH C-2095! B&O Museum bound!... now we gotta pay for it. So please consider jumping on board with Mt. Airy... cause we're going to do this right! And we'd love you to be part of it! Nice work to Diane, too and the nonprofit, Mount Airy Community Fund!

Facebook works too Diane. "Mount Airy Rails to Trails" will get you there!

Update:

Caboose C-2095 was shipped today from B&O Restoration Facility to Mt. Airy, and set up beside the depot downtown. Restoration apparently complete.

Photos/TV report link to follow.

Yes, MAC (Mount Airy Caboose) is back in town. Exterior restoration is complete. We will now complete the interior and are planning a grand opening during our town's chili cook off on April 16th. Stay tuned to Facebook page for Mount Airy Rails to Trails for pictures, videos and updates.