Sligo & Eastern Railroad caboose preservation?

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

Ran across a rather interesting story on what I believe was a Frisco website. As reported, when the Sligo & Eastern Railroad and its parent (smelter/iron works?) quit around 1930, two farmers purchased the railroads wooden cupola caboose and cut it in half, using it for a shed or chicken coop on their respective farms. About 10 years ago (the report was from 2010), one of the farmers purchased the other half of the caboose and put the two parts together again. The writer said that although the caboose lacked trucks, it still had its original cupola and grab irons and was generally still in good shape. This is rather an interesting preservation story, of a kind I don't remember hearing about previously. Question is, does anyone have photos of the caboose? Apparently the Sligo & Eastern used 3 Shay locomotives on its railroad and there was a Mogul at the smelter or iron works or whatever. What I get from the internet is possibly Missouri as the state. Dent County road 448 is mentioned along with a highway TT. Any info appreciated. And yea, I realize it's a long shot but I guess the minus 11 degrees outside tonight is getting to my sense of reality.

Les

Bulby · **Joined:** Tue Nov 12, 2013 6:45 pm **Posts:** 258

Quote:

The railroad of The Sligo & Eastern Railroad Company, hereinafter called the carrier, is a single-track standard-gauge steam railroad extending southeastwardly from Sligo to Dillard, Mo., a distance of 11.439 miles. The lines used under lease extend from Dillard to Bixby and from Bixby to East End, all in Missouri. The railroad of the Iron County Central Railroad, hereinafter called the Iron County Central, which is leased to and operated by the carrier, is a single-track standard-gauge steam railroad extending southeastwardly from Bixby to East End, Mo., a distance of 6.486 miles. The Iron County Central also owns yard and side tracks as shown in the trackage table in Appendix 1. The carrier wholly owns and uses 12.340 miles of all tracks, and uses but does not own 22.960 miles of all tracks, which are classified in the trackage table in Appendix 1.

Wikipedia citing ICC valuations circa 1926

Also mentions a Sligo Furnace Company, which may have been the owner.

Dent County would be correct.

From Railway Age page 942, page 1242, 1906: see http://books.google.com/books?id=0Z9MAA ... navlinks_s

Clearly Sligo Furnace owns Sligo & Eastern, which based on what I'm seeing hauled wood for charcoal to the furnaces.

From: http://shs.umsystem.edu/rolla/manuscripts/r1270.pdf

Sligo Furnace owns Sligo & Eastern, which provides it with its wood and ore.

Sligo is in Dent County, Missouri.

Another link; verifying ownership/roster

https://www.labellemodels.com/manuals/S ... astern.pdf

ANother link, mentioning the railroad's shutdown on page two: http://shs.umsystem.edu/rolla/manuscripts/r1269.pdf

I assume you are refering to this caboose? http://www.frisco.org/vb/showthread.php ... rn-Caboose

Note: the photos don't expand if you are not a member.

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

Bulby -

Thanks for all the info! The photos on the thread you mentioned is obviously the Sligo & Eastern caboose. I was able to see enough from the thumbnails. One thing that I found interesting is that the caboose was still lettered on one side with the railroad name and the caboose number (23). I wonder if the guy who now owns the caboose repainted that lettering, of if it was still there from its railroad days? It think if could have survived intact IF the farmer had that side of his half of the caboose protected in some way (with a lean to addition for example). Either way, nice to see the caboose identified. Also really great that the caboose was put back together. Kudos to that guy!

Les

Bulby · **Joined:** Tue Nov 12, 2013 6:45 pm **Posts:** 258

Les,

Try these: 37.769322,-91.379557

This should be the coordinates for the caboose (okay it's a little to the left). I don't think Google street view is available yet, but that looks like the caboose with the little platform in front of it.

If those coordinates don't work, follow county road 448 south from Sligo, MO about 1/4 of a mile, the caboose is north of the road.