This caboose sits on display outside Larry’s Truck Electric in Warren, Ohio. It’s paired up with an interesting old two-axle diesel switcher. At first glance, the exhibit appears to be a well landscaped tribute to the company’s work. But take a closer look, and the illusion gives way to heartbreak. Despite LTE’s clear effort to present the display with dignity, vandals have left their mark. There’s no graffiti, surprisingly, but every window is gone, leaving the car’s interior exposed to the elements and anyone willing to crawl inside. Standing outside the car we could smell the filth and decay. From the platform, the stench of urine was almost overpowering. No one showed any interest to step inside, not that we could anyway, the floor was covered in trash.
What’s worse, the caboose was intended as a memorial to the company’s founder, Lazarus Larry Bakeris. Unfortunately, given the location, efforts to restore or even clean up this car would likely be undone almost immediately.
MRY 66 no longer rests on its original trucks, and the only remaining trace of its Monongahela lineage are the faded digits “66” painted inside the cupola.