The Northwestern Pacific Railroad Historical Society (nwprrhs.org) is in the fifth season of restoring Petaluma & Santa Rosa Caboose #1. This wooden class CS-15 caboose was built in 1899 as SP 272. It was sold to the subsidiary P&SR in 1934.

No. 1 came back to Petaluma in 2006 draped over a drop-center trailer. We replaced one side sill and all the t&g boards on the sides, as well as the platform timbers. Salvagable t&g boards were reused for the interior. New truss rods were welded onto the stubs. A steel channel now connects the coupler pockets and provides a solid backbone for the caboose. We have an SP stove and one Janney coupler ready for installation, but we need another coupler .

During the July 2008-April 2009 period we built a pair of wood beam passenger trucks for the caboose - they are authentic for this class of caboose. Metal parts from five different trucks were mixed and matched to make the pair. Dave Johnston of the Western Railway Museum in Rio Vista Junction, CA, provided a set of lubrication pads and journal oil, and gave us a lesson in packing plain bearings. Last October the caboose body was hoisted onto the pair of wood beam trucks. The video is on Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhmuOf7vRs8

New rolled roofing material was applied in November. The cupola is being reconstructed by a foundry pattern maker; when ready it will be set in position. A month ago we hung a rebuilt K brake cylinder and reservoir beneath the caboose. These brake parts came from the Timber Heritage Association in Eureka, CA, and the Western Railway Museum. Air brake lines are now sticking out from beneath the platforms for the first time in more than 50 years.

Seventy-five drawings for this caboose class were found in the California State Railroad Museum library collection. These drawings show us how the interior and exterior fittings were applied. Cabinets and benches are being constructed per the plans. However, work on the caboose has been stopped for a few weeks due to another project.

In May the Society will move a coach we believe to be Central Pacific Railroad 29/NWP 123 from Ukiah to our work yard in Petaluma. This car probably was built by the Wason Manufacturing Company in the 1860's, and published data shows it was built in 1861. It survived over 50 years of use as a house along the NWP main line near Ukiah. The Society will restore it to operating condition. Half of the cost of moving this car will be underwritten by a grant from the National Railway Historical Society.

On the last three Saturdays we stripped off building materials in preparation for moving the car. Our house mover inspected the car today to prepare a bid for the move. He also is getting ready to move a wooden baggage car of unknown parentage from Mill Valley to Petaluma. This car was converted to housing also, and is in pretty good condition. Like the owners of CP 29, the baggage car owners need to remove it so their new house can be built.

Photos of our work on the caboose and CP 29 are posted at our Yahoo site:

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/psrcab1/

Photos of the baggage car will be posted when it arrives in Petaluma.


Mike Manson

http://www.nwprrhs.org/

Good morning, all.

The Northwestern Pacific Railroad Historical Society moved CP 29 to Petaluma on May 8.

Roger Graeber posted his video of CP 29's move on YouTube.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NKvNTp87pg


Enjoy!



Mike Manson

That's a really instructive video, and also shows that you don't need to blow cubic dollars to get something done (though I'm sure it took cubic man-hours. Still, great work!

Michael Seitz
Missoula MT

The Society is accepting donation of the Mill Valley baggage car mentioned above. This one is an open-platform wooden car we found being used as a house a few miles north of San Francisco. Tear-off of housing materials will begin very soon. It, too, will be moved to Petaluma for restoration.

A video of our crew inspecting the car is posted at the Northwestern Pacific Railroad Network site:

http://nwprr.net/

Mike Manson

Both of these cars are excellent finds. I wonder if the Mill Valley car was the car that was a residence near my home in Alto (a part of Mill Valley) 40 years ago. That car was given to the woman who lived there after I moved away and I understood that she planned to live in it after moving it. If the same car, I recall a Hollman plate above one of the doors. I wish I knew then what I know now about preservation.

Joe,
The NWP Historical Society sure is moving from a paper historical society to a preservation museum in a big way!

First restoring NWP #13 and SP # caboose and now they are taking on the two ancient passenger cars! From 1861 no less!

Nice work guys!

Ted Miles

Yesterday our Preservation Team members continued preparing the Mill Valley baggage car for its move to Petaluma. Our car mover brought his Bobcat and debris box to the site, and make quick work of the bedroom, bath and kitchen additions.

When the team members pulled drywall off the car side in the bathroom area, they found some lettering that had been painted over by the railroad when the car was retired.

"Baggage"

"605"

"Condemned 1932"

The number 605 positively identifies this car as NWP Baggage Car 605, built as San Francisco & North Pacific 5. The SF&NP built the car in 1892. It was retired in 1932. A photo of the car as it appeared about 1913 is shown in Fred Stindt's book.


Mike Manson

Mike,

Would that have been the time when Thomas Carter was running the Sausalito shop?

Ted Miles

No, Tom Carter ran the shop at Haystack Landing (also known as Donahue Landing) near Petaluma for Donahue’s San Francisco and North Pacific (later part of the North Western Pacific) in 1871/72, Then worked for and ran a shop inside the North Pacific Coast’s (narrow gauge, later also part of the NWP) Sausalito shops, from 1874 to 1876.
This car, built in 1895, several years after Thomas Carter’s death was likely built in the shops in Tiburon.

In any event, congratulations are in order to the NWP Historical Society… they are nearing the completion of the restoration on a Petaluma & Santa Rosa caboose, which was a complete basket case when received, now have Central Pacific 29, a 1860’s coach, now the baggage… the collectively represents a really nice collection of locally significant wooden railroad stock…

Yesterday we expected to move our baggage car NWP 605 to Petaluma. On Friday the house mover lifted the car and placed it onto dollies. Unfortunately he broke a hydraulic line on his truck. The car is OK, but the move will be delayed until next Saturday.

No. 605's lettering is covered by some red paint. Now that the wall is exposed, some of the paint flaked off of the gold leaf forming the surface of the "6".


Mike Manson

Hello, all.

Our newest addition, baggage car NWP 605, arrived in Petaluma yesterday. Photos are posted on our Yahoo group site for P&SR Caboose 1, in the album "Rescue of NWP Baggage 605":

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/psrcab1/photos/album/0/list

The car was featured in the Marin Independent-Journal
http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_15773260

A short video of the final preparation for the move was uploaded to Youtube yesterday:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byUe8g0ZNoE&feature=related


Mike Manson