N&W wooden caboose

[NW Mailing List]

Sadly this is a case of someone who owns an artifact, which deserves saving, but is not taking into consideration the overall value of the artifact compared to what it will cost overall. Personally, I'd love to have one, but to me, the $20,000 would have to be what it overall cost me to have the fully restored cab, not just buying it.

While a fully restored caboose might be worth the asking price, this one is far from restored, it appears to need a bunch of wood replaced, not to mention what we cannot see, like the frame and roof.

Secondly, this cab is not moveable by rail, so it will require crane work at both ends, plus flatbed transportation, that may or may not be easy with clearances and weights. 

So, you have a cab that I'd guess will cost someone over $10,000 just to move, plus a restoration, which could run anywhere between $5,000 and $20,000, so couple that with the purchase price of $20,000, and you might end up with a $50,000 caboose. And a caboose that really needs to be under protection to preserve it. 

There are not a lot of museums with $50,000 sitting around just waiting to be spent, and the individuals who have that kind of money, well, why buy a caboose instead of a private car that might cost more, but you could at least, run it on Amtrak. The only place this caboose would have a chance to run will be a private road or tourist line that can get around friction bearings ancient couplers and possibly other mechanical issues.

I agree with Larry, I'd like to NOT see it on Ebay as it has been there over a year, with probably not many interested parties. I also wonder if the owner has questioned why nobody has just jumped up and bought it right away? 

If they donated it to an appropriate museum or group with some funding, it stands a chance, but not with that price tag.

Ken Miller

On Jul 26, 2012, at 6:25 PM, NW Mailing List wrote:


> I wished someone would buy it. I am tried of looking at it on EBay for

> over a year now.

> 

> Larry

> 

> 

> ----- Original Message ----- From: "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>

> To: "N&W_List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>

> Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2012 4:17 AM

> Subject: N&W wooden caboose

> 

> 

>> Just what everyone needs: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370634169813&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123#vi-desc

>> 

>> Best wishes,

>> 

>> Frank Scheer

>> f_scheer at yahoo.com