Town’s Caboose Gets A New Patriotic Look
Council and employees pose for a picture with the newly painted caboose after the celebration. Left to Right; Brooks Dawson, Councilman; Jonathan Gallimore, Pulaski Public Works; Todd Day, Town Manager; Chance Sadler, Pulaski Public Works; Mayor Shannon Collins; Sunshine Cope, Councilwoman; Joel Burchett, Councilman; Steve Erickson, Councilman; and Jeremy Clark, Councilman. (David Quesenberry/Patriot Publishing)
By DAVID QUESENBERRY
Patriot Publishing
The festivities for the Fourth of July got off to an early start in Pulaski last week with the unveiling Thursday of the newly repainted Norfolk & Western caboose at the Pulaski Passenger Station.
Speaking to those in attendance at the July 2nd ceremony, Nate Repass, Parks and Trails Manager for the Town said, “This has been a large project for us. We’re very excited to have this done.”
Repass said that the caboose had become “a little bit dilapidated” due to the condition of its old paint color.
“We decided to go with something new and exciting” he said. Work on the caboose would continue over time, he added, with a focus on maintaining this valued asset of the Town.
The caboose, long a fixture at the station, was repainted in the American Bicentennial color scheme used by Norfolk & Western in 1976 and decorated with special decals to match as closely as possible the paint scheme and lettering used at that point in time. In addition to the new paint job, Plexiglass windows were installed to provide greater weather proofing for the caboose’s interior.
The unit was built in Decatur, Illinois in 1952 at a cost of $10,000 and remained in service until 1987 when it was set to be scrapped. The Pulaski Kiwanis Club acquired the caboose, which was placed in its current location in 1989. Originally painted blue, it was painted red for a time, but is now repainted in the N&W Bicentennial 1776 paint scheme.
The repainting was the result of several months of planning and hard work by town staff in Parks and Trails and Public Works; town citizens; and several local organizations. The caboose was first scraped in places by hand and then sprayed with a high pressure, high temperature cleaning wash to remove loose materials and clean the surface for painting. A primer coat was then applied to all exterior surfaces followed by a finish coat of epoxy based paints for the final color scheme. The handrails and platforms were painted and the decals applied to complete the exterior. Following completion of the painting, all windows in the caboose were replaced with Plexiglass.
The restoration was done by employees from the town which included Repass, Chance Sadler and Jonathan Gallimore of the General Properties branch of Public Works.
Town Manager Todd Day recognized both Sadler and Gallimore for their work in restoring the appearance of the caboose.
“As far as I know,” he said, “its (the caboose) the only one in the Commonwealth with this paint scheme.”
Mayor Shannon Collins recognized Pulaski Moose Lodge 2087 for their $2,800 contribution to buy the special epoxy paint used in the finish coat of the caboose. He recognized Moose Lodge members Randy Williams, Tyler Wilcox and Donna Potter and asked that they relay the town’s thanks to the other lodge members.
“That just shows what a little bit of community does,” he said. “Community works together and we make things happen and this is one of them.” He also thanked the Town’s Department of Public Works for their work on the caboose.
Repass also recognized several other contributors to the effort.
He introduced April Martin, director of the Raymond F. Ratcliff Transportation Museum and the Wilderness Road Regional Museum as the person who suggested the final paint scheme that was used on the caboose. He also introduced Ken Miller of the Norfolk and Western Historical Society who assisted with research on the decal designs and the coloring scheme for the project. Miller gave a brief presentation about the history of the caboose and the research that went into authenticating its appearance.
Also recognized for his steadfast support of the project was Councilman Joel Burchett Sr. In his remarks to the group, Burchett reminded everyone attending of all there was to celebrate.
“We are here to celebrate our great nation’s 250th birthday, the 138th birth year for Pulaski, and the restoration of this caboose, a part of our living history.”
In addition to celebrating the community’s past, Burchett also encouraged the group to look ahead with optimism.
“When most folks see a caboose, they see the end, the end of the train. But when I look at this caboose, I do not see the end … I see the beginning! The beginning of a new start and a brighter future.”
Following the ceremony, a reception was held at the Pulaski Passenger Station for those attending the ceremony.