A little railroad in the woods
Beyond Caboose Falls—Preserving the Stories Behind Cabooses
We have a soft spot for cabooses. Whether it’s the charm of Caboose Falls or the excitement of spotting one tucked away in a freight yard, these cars are the keepers of railroading’s unwritten history. That’s why we’re thrilled to add a new page to our site dedicated to the nicknames, slang, and untold stories of cabooses and the crews who called them home.
Continue reading “New on the Site: Celebrating Caboose History”
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.
Continue reading “P&LE 518: Master of Disguise & Bookworm”
Memorial Day at Caboose Falls was a mix of work and time spent with family—and for readers of this blog, you know that’s exactly what makes this place special.
Continue reading “Slow and Steady”We’ve just added some wonderful new poems to our railroad poetry archive—each one a little journey in itself. You’ll find everything from the gritty romance of steam engines to the quiet melancholy of midnight freight trains. Take a moment to explore the new additions—maybe you’ll discover a new favorite. Check out the poems here.
The final whistle of spring is sounding—daffodils have rolled into the siding, making way for mayapples to take the mainline as the new stars of the show. The sun-stretched days are picking up speed, and soon, summer’s heat will be laying heavy on the rails.
Continue reading “Spring’s Symphony: Trains, Blooms & Renovation News”
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.
Continue reading “Field Trip: The Caboose Chronicles”
From thundering steam engines to today’s mighty diesels, railroads have powered America’s story. Modern trains may be high-tech, but nothing beats the nostalgic click-clack of the rails and the romance of railroad history.
This National Train Day, we’re tipping our hats to the folks who kept the wheels turning, the innovations that changed the game, and yes—even those wonderful cabooses (like ours!) that still make us smile. Whether you’re a die-hard railfan or just love trains, take a moment to appreciate how they’ve connected us, driven progress, and inspired generations.
Not every relic in the woods is lost. Some are just waiting to be remembered.
Continue reading “The Forgotten Mile: A Marker Without a Map”
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!
Continue reading “A Rare Glimpse into History: P&LE 518 in Century Green”