From the Ground up
On this last work party on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, we worked on leveling the caboose. We were Jay, Gene, and Rob. We started with leveling the north end, rising the east side about one inch. Then we worked our way down the east side. The timbers are all joined with mortise and tenons held tight together with tie rods. I thought we could just work our way down the side, but the whole frame is so ridged, we had to lift the frame from all the way down at the south end. Then the west side was leveled.
We raised the south end about three inches. The south-west wall is just hanging in place. Next time we will add 2 x 8 sisters next to the rotted-out timbers to support a new floor and to support the platform. Then the wall will have something solid to rest on. As I was sweeping out the caboose, I saw a key in the debris; it was lucky I saw it. It fits the lock on both the doors, and they both work. Pretty cool.
As you may know, most of the crew also works at the Wind River Trust north of Carson restoring a 1942 CCC-built Ranger House. As Jay and I were driving home last Monday, we stopped to look at the caboose at the Columbia Gorge Museum in Stevenson. It has a membrane roof that is glued down and has a thicker rubber band holding down and covering the edges. This is the kind of roof we would like to use on the 760.
I found a photo that was taken on 8/7/2007, with SP&S logos and the 701 number. With that, I was able to pull up the diagram for the caboose. The order to build five cabooses was approved on 1/15/1930, and they were delivered on 9/10/1930.
