By: Steve Yablonski
Wednesday January 10 2007 OSWEGO, NY - Wanted. Little caboose, preferably red. Not to exceed 50 feet in length.

The Port City’s engineer is on track to find a caboose to be the focal point of the Seaway Trail Park along East First Street, adjacent to the former railroad trestle which was transformed into a pedestrian walkway.

The idea was born of Tony Leotta’s vision of Oswego’s storied railroad history. He believes the caboose would be a fitting tribute to the heyday of railroads in Oswego when many New York Central trains traversed the Oswego River at that site.

The trains ran through the city from the 1860s until around 1976, Leotta said.

“I can still visualize the caboose going by,” he said. “The Seaway Trail Interpretative Park already has a railroad platform and eight benches. A caboose would be a wonderful addition. It would be nice to have a red caboose as the backdrop, to signify the trains that came through there.”

With the newly installed street clock in the area, as well, it is the focal point for tourism, Leotta said. It would be nice to have another attraction, he added.

They are looking into the possibility that a passenger car might be available in the Parish area.

If it's longer than 50 feet, it won't fit in the available space. Also, it needs to be in decent condition.

Leotta has spoken to Joe Ukyela who owns the little red caboose on Route 34 in Hannibal. His caboose came from the Ontario Midland Railroad based in Sodus.

“I checked with the lady that runs that railroad, and they are out of them. Joe tells me that cabooses were made in different sizes and his, 30 feet in length, would fit just right for our needs,” Leotta said. “However, his is not for sale.”

Ukyela suggested that Leotta check with CSX in the Dewitt yards.
He will also check with other sources and get back to the engineer with what he finds.


Leotta is searching for other groups as well.

Mercedes Niess of the H. Lee White Marine Museum is putting out the call through the Oswego Valley Railroad Association.

Leotta will be speaking Sunday at the Oswego Valley (Model) Railroad Association’s meeting to be held at the Marine Museum at 2:30 p.m.

They would like to hear about his ideas and will start thinking about resources for a caboose and what role they could play.

“I'll bring a plan of the park and indicate the area where a caboose could be placed,” Leotta explained.

It would have to be a caboose, length could not exceed 50 feet, he said. Anything larger than a caboose would ruin the proportions of the park, he added.

Officially, it’s a state park, so whatever they might find would have to be labeled "New York Central."

“Whatever we do would have to conform to the state’s regulations.The site could offer tourist information as well as being a tourist attraction, Community Development Director Mary Vanouse said.

“It could be staffed by summer interns or volunteers to assist visitors with finding out about Oswego and what activities are coming up,” she explained.

They have been researching whether any grant funding may be available to enhance the historic site, she noted.

The N.Y. Central was the greatest of railroads that traversed the east side, Leotta said.

"Everything is just in the planning stage right now. We have to see if we can find a caboose, how we can finance it, it has to be in good shape, we don’t want anything that would be high-maintenance. And it has to be approved by the state," Leotta explained.

Officially, it’s a state park, so whatever they might find would have to be labeled "New York Central."