Chicago Burlington & Quincy 13500

Steel Caboose

In 2000, Bandana Square in St. Paul, (formerly the NP's Como Shops,) donated BN caboose 11445 to the Minnesota Transportation Museum. It had been on display there for close to 20 years, and the roof was starting to leak, but it was still in decent shape. MTM trucked it to Jackson Street, and parked it on old, nearly-buried trackage that wasn't yet connected. A stencil on the frame says "formerly CB&Q 13500," so that is how it has been known.

In 2003, after the completion of the turntable connected its track, 13500 was moved into roundhouse stall 14, part of a wood-shop area being developed. During its short time parked outside at Jackson Street, its roof had rapidly deteriorated, and needed replacement to avoid further damage. Because it is well-suited for the Jackson Street caboose rides (lots of windows and seats) it became the first wood-shop restoration project. Restoration started with replacement of rotten roof boards and canvas.

The restoration leader determined that 13500 was most likely the CB&Q's first steel caboose. It is the lowest numbered NE-10, which is the first series of CB&Q steel cabooses. Built in August of 1930, it's center sill, framing, and exterior skin are of steel. The roof, floor, and interior are wood. It was built without electricity. That was added later, and the interior ceiling was lowered two inches to conceal the conduit. It's original color was standard caboose red. That was later changed to orange. It never received the late caboose color of silver - investigation shows it went right from orange to BN cascade green.

A twin of 13500, CB&Q 13501 has been restored and is on exhibit at the Galesburg Railroad Museum in Galesburg, Illinois.

When it arrived at MTM, the consolidated stencil read: