New Member with caboose(s) questions...

[NW Mailing List]

To whom this may concern,

I am a new member of the NWHS mailing list and a member and historian of a newly formed non-profit railroad historical society and museum on Virginia's Eastern Shore and we have two former N&W cabooses on static display that we would like to renovate. They are both said to be former N&W RY (ex-NKP) cabooses numbered NW 557704 (NKP 704) and NW 557504? (NKP 404?). We would like to accurately paint both of them in their original paint schemes as both have been repainted over the years.
 
N&W 557704 is currently in the N&W RY's red and white paint with "NW" lettering on one side and the circular "hamburger" logo on the other. BUT, there is evidence of it originally being the blue & yellow scheme with yellow and red safety stripes on the ends. We are not sure if the N&W RY re-painted this caboose in the red scheme or if a later owner had repainted it, although the road number has been painted over with a single white line (I know that this was common when a caboose was taken out of active service). Also, we would like to renovate the interior. Nothing has been touched inside since the caboose was taken out of service and all interior fixtures, etc. are still intact. Apart from very worn and flaking paint, it seems to be in pretty good shape. Currently, EVERYTHING inside is painted grey, except for the stove. But, I have seen photos of other similar cabooses around the country that have been restored and have yellow or red or black hand
 rails. Can anyone tell me what items were painted in what colors?

The other caboose is said to be either N&W 557504 or N&W 557404. We're not sure which. Currently, is is painted in the (now defunct) Eastern Shore Railroad paint scheme. It is a bay-window caboose and from what I've found online, all of these bay window style cabooses were painted red and white, but I don't know about the interior.

We are also looking for some history on these two cabooses. Any information would be helpful, as well as any photographs of either one.

Thank you in advance!

Sincerely,
Keith Berkebile
Historian - Friends of the (Eastern Shore) Railroad.
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