This caboose has been part of this restaurant in the Boston neighborhood known as Allston, for a long, long time. Anyone know its heritage? The depot was built for the Boston & Albany...is the caboose B&A?
The 1886 depot is well cared-for and has survived several restaurants and names changes. The HH Richardson "look" is no accident as it was designed by successor firm Shepley, Ruttan & Coolidge.
Patrons used to be able to dine inside the caboose, but it is now the manager's office and off-limits to the public. Not that they're even thinking about it, but the manager told me that since the car has become so integral to the structure around it, that it would take more than an offer of free removal for them to consider letting it go. Obviously still very close to live rail!

Stephen

While Allston is a B&A station, the caboose is New Haven. Built to PRR's N5 design, the NH cars (10 total) date from 1923 ( the first 5 built by Keith Car Co on Cape Cod) and 1928 (second 5 from Osgood Bradley). They New Haven's first steel cabooses. Equipped for passenger operation with air signal lines and steam heat and 6 foot wheelbase passenger type trucks, they were used in the extensive mail and express operations as crew rider cars. They also had coal stoves.

Most were off roster by the late 1950s, with a few becoming wprk train service cabooses. One was used as a portable temporary train order office into Amtrak days.

One other of these survived also part of a restaurant, in Rhode Island.

The 5 Keith cars were NH class NE-3 and the OB cars were NE-4 class.

Howard P.

To add to Howard's response, when I have a New England caboose question I find this list useful:
http://capecodrails.railfan.net/necabooses.html

North of this caboose a mile or two is a PRR fluted diner at a bar/restaurant in Watertown. It seems to be rather complete exteriorwise, but half-gutted on the inside.

That's a great list, thank you.

Watertown, MA? There's nothing in Watertown that I'm aware of.

There used to be a coach (with fluted sides) situated alongside the Stockyard Restaurant in Brighton, which is a mile or two away from the Allston Depot. The car could easily be seen from I-90. This car was scrapped in place about 10 years ago.

Stephen

Another caboose that may be of interest is an ex-D&H wooden design at Golden Pizza in Auburn, MA. Sadly, about 5 years ago, the owners put plywood up to completely cover the sides after a vandal broke all the windows out. The cupola and end windows are also boarded to prevent further damage. Kinda sad. I drive by that caboose at least once a week. It was all nice and shiney red, looked like it was parked there waiting for some use. The end platforms were also removed around the time that the windows were boarded and plywood "armor" was put up to protect the caboose from further harm. It's a sad sight indeed...

One update to the list:
The B&ML caboose 28 located in Unity, Maine is now located in Washington Junction on the Downeast Scenic Railroad and is renumbered 2608.
Leverett Fernald

There are any number of inaccuracies in the Connecticut section, and it is rather out of date.

Howard P.

Mr. Hussar: 21 Nickels Bar and Tap:
Trucks intact and sitting on track!

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=watertown,+ma&ll=42.367874,-71.156892&spn=0.001887,0.00471&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&hnear=Watertown,+Middlesex,+Massachusetts&gl=us&t=m&z=18&vpsrc=6&layer=c&cbll=42.367874,-71.157018&panoid=4b3-6IYT6VgA6ubdve8FHg&cbp=12,5.86,,0,0

Well, Mr Anderson...that's a new one to me! I'm in Watertown quite often and will try and get, and post some pictures...

Dylan, any pics of this caboose? It may have belonged to a former Valley Railroad general manager back in the 70's Any numbering on it?

Here's that wood caboose in Auburn, MA. At this point I'm sure the owners wood be happy to part with it...

There was never any numbering or lettering. Kinda sad seeing those pic though. They show perfectly how bad she's gotten over the last five years. Thanks for the pics Stephen. Hopefully there's a diamond in the rough left in that old thing. I know that it was there way back in grade school...

Thanks for the Auburn pic. I forwarded the link to my friends.
Fred Jordan

There was never any numbering or lettering. Kinda sad seeing those pic though. They show perfectly how bad she's gotten over the last five years. Thanks for the pics Stephen. Hopefully there's a diamond in the rough left in that old thing. I know that it was there way back in grade school...[/quote]


D&H 35816 to P&W 2

Not sure what the owner thinks, but the employees would rather see it in a museum. I stopped in yesterday, and one of the employees was kind enough to allow me to take some pictures. He said I could close the doors if I wanted, so the shots could be better, but I left it alone. Didn't want to risk breaking something. And apparently I'm not the only one who asked about its future! The gentleman in the waiting room had a notepad of numbers specifically for people who wished to know when it may be released for preservation (some of whom he fears may be scrappers, not an unreasonable fear at all). Me and the group out in East Brookfield have thought about it, so for know we're keeping our eyes on it. Anywho, link to my facebook album below;
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 425&type=1