Folks,

In hopes of arbitrating to some extent a dispute over the potential sale of a caboose in my region, I'd like to hear from y'all:

What seems to be the going rate for an intact, rail-ready caboose these days?

Assume either completely original intact condition (desireable only if you want a museum piece sealed behind Plexiglas panels) or gutted, but with no major modifications such as doors cut in the sides, septic tanks added, code 110V wiring, etc. Probably safe to assume friction-bearing trucks to be reckoned with. Disregard transport costs. Cupola or bay-window, no box-on-a-frame transfer hacks.

I know the old adage used to be >$1,000 FOB the railroad's siding and $25,000+ trucking/landscaping/crane/tracklaying at the other end. At least one party I'm dealing with believes that cabooses are so much scarcer and more "collectible" now and that the price should have gone up accordingly. Has it?

Here's a place to start:

http://www.trains-trams-trolleys.com/home/cabooses.htm

Jason

Seems to me there are still 10-15 relatively complete cabooses form the Penn Central and predecessors in PA on a siding out there. The price used to be $12K-15K if memory serves me. I do not have the link handy right now, but there is a site, and pics on it.

What about the dealer in Iowa that regularly advertised in the classified section of TRAINS?

So, if you take a number of $15K, add $5K for trucking, and up to $50K for restoration and painting, you have a nice lawn ornament for maybe $70K.

Bob Kutella

Sandy,

Here are two photos of my Ann Arbor 2839 caboose, which you may remember was at the B&O RR Museum for a while.

$4500 purchase (seven years ago).
$1000 roller bearing trucks off of scrapped CSX caboose
$1000 COTS
$1500 Riveted repairs to end sill.
$450 CSX from Toledo-Baltimore (moves from Baltimore to Owosso donated)
$5500 Sandblast and paint
$4000 Micellaneous restoration materials
Cushions-donated
Glass-donated
Labor to restore-donated.




Steve Zuiderveen

It's like anything else for sale. Depends on what you are willing to spend and how much you want to put into it. Be aware of the "rare" find. I find the only place they are rare is in the seller's mind. Look around and you can find units that are free for the taking. Now keep in mind these are the ones at the bottom end of the scale and need total restoration but as John Arbuckle used to say, "You get what you pay for."

Ok, where is that saying from?

Later!
Mr. Ed

Steve -

what's that white stuff on the ground?

Jim

Leftovers from asbestos abatement.

dave