COMPLETED
D&RGW 0579
| |
COMPLETED D&RGW 0579 |
|
In 1995, a small group of Friends volunteers surveyed the caboose body that sat at the entrance to the Antonito yard, and determined it was a real D&RGW caboose, the 0579. Since the C&TS RR had no other "short" cabooses on their roster, there was a great desire to see 0579 be restored, even if only a cosmetic restoration was possible. But after an accident left the only other original D&RGW caboose, the 0503, badly damaged and unusable for 2 years, a there was a new desire to actually see 0579 restored to complete operating condition. (The 0503 was repaired, but was subsequently damaged again in 2002, and is now undergoing a complete restoration).
We found that anything metal which could be salvaged was from 0579 gone, and the frame had suffered severe damage. Virtually nothing remained of the interior. It sat on 2 box car trucks, and the original roof had been replaced with one made of plywood.
But it was a real caboose and we thought that in several years, we can have it back on the rails and suitable for use ! The original estimate was 10 years, and in 2005 it was basically complete.
We're trying to reconstruct the the history of 0579 on the railroad, and the changes it experienced over the years.
To return to the Friends of the C&TS main page, click here
This page is maintained by Friends member Bill Kepner. Almost Billions! of visitors had found this page since July 18, 2001 (but this counter seems to lie).
This page was last updated on August 28, 2006.