TERRE HAUTE —
After more than 1,700 hours of hard work, a historic train caboose that once graced a Terre Haute city park has received a much-needed facelift.
The mostly-wooden caboose, built in 1903, was “about to fall over” two years ago when work began to bring it back to life, said Jesse Fox, a sophomore at Terre Haute South Vigo High School who organized the restoration project.
Fox chose to restore the caboose as his final Eagle Scout project. The project was finished in April and Fox received his Eagle Scout rank in July, he said.
“It’s what I always wanted to do,” Fox said of restoring the caboose. In fact, he got the idea to “fix up” the historic railcar when he was about 6 and visited the caboose at its former location in Dobbs Park, he said.
Of course, “Back then, it would have only taken about two weeks to restore,” Fox said with a slight grin.
The caboose was part of the Pennsylvania Railroad when it was taken out of commission decades ago. The late Dr. Wayne Crockett of Terre Haute purchased it from the railroad in the 1970s, according to past editions of the Tribune-Star. Crockett kept the caboose at his home for his children. Then in 1984, he donated it to Dobbs Park.
Years of wear, exposure to the elements and even termites took their toll on the old caboose.
Eventually, in 2006, the Terre Haute Parks and Recreation Department gave the caboose to the Wabash Valley Railroaders Museum at 1316 Plum St. in Terre Haute.
Work to restore the historic caboose involved tremendous detail and hundreds of labor-hours. Fox was assisted in the project by well over a dozen volunteers, including members of Boy Scout Troop 30, family members, volunteers from the Railroaders Museum and members of First Baptist Church at 4701 E. Poplar St.
In order to qualify for his Eagle rank, Fox was required to document all of the work and hours involved. He was also in charge of the entire project from beginning to end.
“He learned how to work with people,” said Jim Fox, Jesse’s father.
The caboose, which is painted “boxcar red” – its original color – still needs to be restored on the inside, said Mike Day, a 37-year veteran of the railroads and a tour guide at the Railroaders Museum. Eventually, however, the caboose will also provide additional space for many more museum displays, he said.
Over its lifetime, the caboose was painted several different colors, Jesse noted. He knows well about all of the different colors because he and his volunteers had to scrape through several layers of old paint and primer to get down to the bare wood. Another challenging aspect of working on the 107-year-old caboose is that it was originally assembled like a jigsaw puzzle – using very few nails – to accommodate all the jostling and moving it would do while traveling down the railroad tracks.
“That’s one reason it was so tricky to restore,” Jesse said.
At one point in the restoration process, the sides of the caboose were completely removed, as was the cupola, which is a sort of lookout post on the roof. “It was basically a box car at that point,” Jesse said of having the sides and the roof of the caboose mostly removed.
“It’s wonderful,” Day said of having the exterior of the caboose fully restored. “It’s going to be a great addition to the museum.”
Spending two years working on the caboose could be frustrating and involved a lot of changes in plans, Jesse noted. But it did not affect his love of trains.
“Actually, being out here made me like [trains] more because I got to see them go by” on the nearby CSX tracks, Jesse said. “I’ve always loved trains.”
In addition to the rare caboose, the Wabash Valley Railroaders Museum also features two railroad towers – Haley Tower and Springhill Tower. Among other things, it also features a sitting area for watching passing trains and a 150-year-old train depot from Clay County known as the Turner Depot.
For more information on the Wabash Valley Railroaders Museum, visit www.haleytower.org.
Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.
News
On track to Eagle: Jesse Fox puts in many hours of work to restore historic caboose
- News
-
-
Valentine's Day a rosy business
Red roses, mixed bouquets and even a bonsai tree or two are being delivered today on perhaps the nation’s sweetest holiday.
-
Downtown gets Wi-Fi ‘hotspot’
Frontier Communications has reached an agreement with city officials to create a Wi-Fi “hotspot” covering much of downtown Terre Haute.
-
Board OKs $5.4M in work at schools
The Vigo County School Board has approved borrowing $5.4 million for an expansion of DeVaney Elementary School and energy-related projects at 15 other schools.
-
Stella’s Cafe downtown plans to close March 2
Not long after changing its name from Bit of Britain Tea Room to Stella’s Cafe, a downtown restaurant has announced plans to close its doors.
-
Bill would ease college credit transfers
Indiana college students worried about whether their credit hours will transfer to another university may get some relief if a proposed higher-education bill passes.
-
Court alters trial date for man accused in 1979 death case
A trial date has changed for a Riley man accused of a 1979 homicide.
-
Shift to online raises school cost concerns
Legislation that would require high school students in Indiana to take at least one online course is meeting resistance from some school administrators who say they can’t afford any more mandates from the state.
-
Cops nab man after squad car struck
A West Terre Haute man was arrested Monday after a police pursuit that began after his vehicle collided with a Terre Haute police car.
-
Victim unhurt when robbed by gunman
Terre Haute police were searching late Monday night for a suspect accused of using a gun to rob another person at about 7 p.m.
-
Man face gun charge after woman shot in leg
A Terre Haute man faces a misdemeanor firearms charge following an accidental shooting during the weekend.
-
Martinsville hoops coach accused of indecency
A top Indiana boys’ basketball coach faces a misdemeanor public indecency charge after Indianapolis police say an officer found him in “a state of nudity” in his car in the company of a teenage girl.
-
Packing the hall
If you didn’t come early, the seats were hard to find.
-
Alternative-fuel project has Rose, ISU students all charged up
The future of Earth’s auto industry is intertwined with the career prospects of local university students, and a world-class team shined with green energy Sunday.
-
Montford Point Marine
In 1943, 19-year-old Ezell Odom was on the sandy beach of a tiny South Pacific island about 7,000 miles from his parent’s home in Terre Haute.
-
K-9 officer Shadow honored as a hero
A Terre Haute K-9 officer injured in the line of duty has been honored as a hero by the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association.
-
Freezin’ for a Reason
Hundreds lined up outside Hulman Center amid frigid air to participate in a warm-hearted cause.
-
Even as law, right-to-work dominates crackerbarrel
The flames of the right-to-work debate were gone, but the coals still seemed to smolder.
-
Vigo School Board to give OK on bonds for DeVaney project
The Vigo County School Board will meet at 6 p.m. Monday in the administration building, 686 Wabash Ave.
-
Bridging the gap to ‘forever’
They can be taken from their homes by strangers for reasons they may not understand, with no possessions other than the clothes they are wearing.
-
Students showcase keen problem-solving skills at Rose-Hulman
For the 16th straight year, Honey Creek Middle School students came out on top in the Wabash Valley MATHCOUNTS competition at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
-
Ivy Tech to celebrate Black History Month
Ivy Tech Community College will celebrate Black History Month with a series of events at its campuses statewide.
-
Giant welcome home for Steve
Terre Haute was suddenly home to thousands of cheering New York Giants fans Friday as residents welcomed Super Bowl champion Steve Weatherford back home for a parade.
-
‘One for Terre Haute,’ Steve tells crowd at North
“This one was for Terre Haute,” native son Steve Weatherford proclaimed Friday as he shared his Super Bowl victory with the community that helped send him on the path to a world championship.
-
Hometown support vital to success, Weatherford says
Steve Weatherford said Friday he wouldn’t be celebrating a Giants’ Super Bowl victory if not for the support he’s received from his hometown, his parents and mentors in his life.
-
Craning for a rare glimpse
A visitor from the Far East has naturalists flying to Linton, hoping some good comes from one bird’s bad directions.
-
Vigo’s primary election filings complete
The slate is set for the May 8 primary election, with the race for three at-large seats on the Vigo County Council drawing the largest pool of candidates at the county level.
-
Documentary on electric vehicles plays Sunday at Rose
The rising popularity of electric vehicles and their impact on the world eco-system is the focus of a documentary, “Revenge of the Electric Car,” being presented at 3 p.m. Sunday in Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology’s Hatfield Hall Theater.
-
Man gets 10-year sentence in battery case
A West Terre Haute man received a 10-year prison sentence Friday after pleading guilty to aggravated battery for beating a friend caught in bed with the man’s wife.
-
Slow drips: It’s maple syrup season in Indiana
More seasonal, colder temperatures will hit the Wabash Valley this weekend, which is ideal weather for maple syrup production, said Keith Ruble, superintendent of the Vigo County Parks and Recreation Department.
However, Ruble voices concern that this year’s maple syrup season may be short.
-
Downtown restaurant celebrates expansion
The streets of Terre Haute were chilly Thursday night, but for the glow of hot pasta inside Louise’s Pizzeria and Cafe.
- More News Headlines
-
Raw Video: Biden Greets Chinese VP for Visit
Authorities: Houston Found Underwater in Tub
Whitney Houston Funeral to Be Invitation Only
Raw Video: Heavy Shelling in Homs, Syria
Raw Video: 5 People Injured in Bangkok Blasts
Bacteria Keep Swimmers Off Some Fla. Beaches
New Details in Search for Missing Utah Mom
Trial Opens for Ala. Man in Bride's Diving Death
Raw Video: Kim Jong Il Statue Unveiled
Baltimore's 'Crime Stopper' Is a Basketball Star
Raw Video: Hearse Arrives at N.J. Funeral Home
Arm Wrestler Not Guilty Plea in Wife's Death
Raw Video: Houston Body Flown From L.A. to N.J.
First Person: Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
Raw Video: Whitney Houston's Last Performance
Obama: Good US-China Ties Help the Whole World
Raw Video: Protesters, Security Clash in Bahrain
And the Winner for Best Super Bowl Ad Is...
Obama's New Budget: The Winners and Losers
School Pays Students to Attend Class
Kim K. Wet, Wild and Natural
Ultimate Tazer Ball is a Shocking New Sport
Shakira Attacked By Sea Lion
Modern day treasure hunter searching for $3 billion prize
What Happened Inside Whitney's Hotel Room?
Saying 'I Love You' With a Sewage Plant Tour
VS Models Wow for V-Day
Olympic Swimmer Proposes on Podium After Big Win
Kate Upton MLB 2K12 Commercial
Watch: Whitney Houston's Golden Hearse
Scarlett Johansson's Bikini P-D-A
Man Allegedly Drowns Wife While Scuba Diving
Glee Pays Tribute to Whitney
Wash. becomes 7th state to okay same-sex marriage
Romijn's 60 Pound Weight Loss
The 'Celebrity Apprentice' Cast Meets Donald Trump
Kissing contest heats up
Hugh Hefner's Son Arrested
Jacqueline Kennedy's personal papers released
Did Tyler Perry Have a Secret Wedding?
