Our Story

I grew up in San Jose, CA, and my Grandparents lived in Atascadero, CA, approximately 200 miles south. We visited frequently, which meant I was treated to a three hour drive paralleling SP's coast line. I have many fond memories of bloody nose geeps, beet gondolas, SP "Golden Pig Service" TOFC trailers, and of course bay window cabooses. When the end was near for cabooses I was grief-struck. I tried in vain to convince my Grandfather to put one on his property. Now, it wasn't that my Grandpa, a railroad veteran himself, wanted to deprive me of my heart's desire, but he was a practical man who understandably didn't feel the same love for a 30 ton piece of yard art. However, he did take me to a piece of property a short distance away from his house where there, among the trees, was the 1353. I made my Dad drive me by the caboose at least one time every visit from that point forward.

Fast forward 20 years or so. I ended up settling in Paso Robles, a town a few miles north of Atascadero. I shared my plan, and the 1353, with Chantel on our first anniversary while we were driving home from dinner. Little did I know, the next day she went door to door to try and find the owner of the caboose. For the next two months she was in contact with the caboose owner, trying to get him to sell her the caboose. I go to the same barber that I used to go to with my Grandpa, right around the corner from his house, and the caboose. Every haircut day, I'd drive by the caboose just to check on it. I always figured that if it came for sale, I'd find a way to purchase it. Once we bought our current house, which sits on an acre, I knew we actually had room for a caboose. I actually began to look for cabooses for sale all over the west coast. One day on my way home from my hair cut, I drove by the 1353, and notice that the lot that it sat on was for sale. I called my wife and our realtor immediately. After speaking to my realtor, she made contact with the listing agent, and I was ready to attempt to buy the caboose. At that point, my wife had to come clean and tell me that she was in the process of buying the caboose for me.

 After the initial shock and excitement wore off, reality set in. First, I knew that I wasn't interested in a 'basket case' restoration. The car would have to be in sound enough condition to facilitate restoration by me, a private citizen. Second, I was not interested in a gutted car- I wanted the original interior to be at least partially intact. Finally, we needed to be able to afford the car. At this point in 2007, scrap steel prices were at an all time high. Locally, people were literally driving old tractors to the scrap steel buyers because they were worth more in scrap than as a running tractor. I knew that if I was competing with a scrapper, I wouldn't be able to buy the car. Chantel and I talked frankly at length about how to approach the inspection and potential purchase. I had a rough budget for what to pay and what moving costs would be. It was time to put my money where my mouth was!

On July 15, 2007, Chantel and I met the 1353's owner at the car. I was nervous and excited. Although I had watched the car for 20+ years, I never so much as walked onto the property, out of respect for the owner. The more I looked at the car, the more excited I got. The side sills were remarkably free of rust. Ditto for the rivet bands at the roof edge. Much of the interior was intact, including 'big ticket' items like the stove, ice box, and conductor's desk. All brake rigging was gone, but at least it had caboose trucks. It was safe to say, I wanted the car. I REALLY wanted the car.

Ordinarily I would have tried to play it cool and negotiate a price. Honestly, I couldn't contain myself. I'd known the 1353 for so long- almost my whole childhood. I layed it all out for the owner- my emotional attachment, my lifelong desire to own a caboose, my plans for a historical restoration, my ability to actually make good on my plans, and how I felt obligated to be a good steward of such an asset. We also talked frankly about scrap prices. Thankfully, he wanted to see the caboose move to a new, good home, not leave the lot in pieces. I knew we were close to being able to make a deal. After I did significant additional research into moving the car, we did just that. The caboose was ours.

On September 19, 2007 we brought our caboose home. Actually, Brandt House and Building Movers brought it home for us. I can't say enough about Eric Brandt and his crew. They did an outstanding job.

Moving it was complicated by local tree ordinances (you have to love California regulations). The ordinance prevented trimming more than 25% of the tree canopy which covered the caboose. As a result, we couldn't use a crane to lift it from above. Instead, I hired the house moving company who raised the car from below, and slid it sideways onto a low boy trailer (For only about 3x the cost of a crane).

The caboose is currently on cribbing at our house with the trucks set beside it, on a section of track. I know that we will move it one more time following restoration, so I didn't go to the trouble of placing it back on its trucks. An added bonus is that it's lower to the ground, allowing easier exterior restoration. 

Check the Updates tab to see our progress.