General
This is among the last of the fabled cabooses built for North American railroads as by 1980, “end of train devices” were taking their place as train crew size was reduced due to way-side hot bearing/dragging equipment detectors and the very nature of freight train operation moving from loose car railroading (dropping off and picking up cars at every town along the line) to long trains of containers being moved between sea ports and large transfer terminals where highway trucks make the first and last move of the containers to and from customers. 117 has a wide extended vision cupola that was used for monitoring the freight cars ahead of it. With advent of the required use of roller bearings on all freight cars there was less of a chance of journal bearing “hot boxes” which could be spotted visually by the crew.
History
In 1973 the Soo Line ordered ten cabooses (56-65) of this modern style which had ladders on the ends and walkways on the roof from the International Car Corporation in Kenton, Ohio. Regulations then came into effect that year stating that train crew personnel were no longer allowed to walk on the roofs of freight cars so the remaining 80 cars (55-145) including 117 did not have these features. All 90 of these cars came in a very visible white with red paint scheme that complimented the Soo Line’s diesel locomotives and replaced the many old wooden red cabooses then still in service. The Canadian Pacific Railway took over the Soo Line in 1980 and as the “end of train” and “wayside monitoring” devices were being installed, with the cabooses received only absolutely necessary repairs which did not include repainting them even if they were graffiti covered. Cabooses were only used on work trains or where there was a need for “backing platform” for a trainman to ride for backward shoving move over an extended distance. 117 served in this role, working out of the Bensenville Yard in the Chicago area. Eventually it was painted solid gray for this task. It was finally retired in May 2023 and sold as scrap to Maggio Towing and Trucking in Rockford, Illinois. Owner Marty Maggio saw how solid the car was and in coordination with the museum donated it, along with highway trucking to South Elgin, arriving on October 27th, 2023.
Narrative
Volunteers have replaced every window including some windows that had been plated over by the railroad. The car was professionally sandblasted after all the windows were temporarily removed. The exterior was primed, and red paint applied to the cupola and roof. Next, after masking, came the white paint followed by the lettering and reinstallation of the windows. Seats have been added to the interior which is now in a state where the car can be operated pending completion of interior details. When completed it will serve as a contrast to our wooden Soo caboose which waits partially restored in the car barn and together, they will show the evolution of mainline freight railroading from the late 19th century through to the 21st century.
Author: Joseph Hazinski, curator