Category: Cabooses

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P&LE 518: Master of Disguise & Bookworm

Forget calling our P&LE 518 just ‘some old caboose.’ This car is a railroad legend with a surprising talent for disguise! Need proof? Just look inside Dwight Jones’s definitive work, C&O/B&O Cabooses – Display and Private Owner Cars (Vol. 4). There it is, a veteran of the New York Central System, comfortably nestled among cabooses from rival line Baltimore & Ohio! This unexpected cameo perfectly captures why 518 is such a fascinating railroading character.

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Field Trip: The Caboose Chronicles

Norfolk & Western 518368 Caboose – Bay Village, Ohio

There’s something poetic about old cabooses. Some are polished like trophies. Others rot quietly, waiting for someone to notice them before they vanish. And then there are the ones you stumble upon by pure luck, like winning the caboose lottery. We saw it all in our recent day trip of hunting captive cabooses near Cleveland.

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A Rare Glimpse into History: P&LE 518 in Century Green

P&LE 518 wearing green

There aren’t a lot of things as thrilling as uncovering a long-lost piece of history, especially when it involves one of the cars here at Caboose Falls. Thanks to railfan and super-sleuth Robert Bogie, we now have a remarkable addition to our archive: an image of Pittsburgh & Lake Erie (P&LE) Caboose #518 in its original configuration and second paint scheme!

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Trifecta: P&LE Cabooses 517, 501, and 518

Trio of P&LE cabooses – Photo used with permission – Roger Durfee

We’re thrilled to share this remarkable glimpse into railroad history: a photograph of our Pittsburgh & Lake Erie (P&LE) Caboose #518 in action, captured by acclaimed rail photographer Roger Durfee on May 15, 1987. The image freezes a pivotal moment in American railroading history when twilight was casting a shadow on the need for cabooses .

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Rails, Detours, and Secrets: Meet RM17

Every caboose has a story, for some, like RM17, the story is very much a mystery. From its rugged beginnings tailing taconite ore trains in northern Minnesota to its misguided excursion into New Jersey, this caboose traveled far and wide before finding its forever home at Caboose Falls. Join us as we unravel the story of its remarkable journey. Read the RM17 story here.

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