Soo Line 31

Extra Wide Vision Steel Caboose

Soo 31, a modern steel wide-vision caboose, in now in service at Osceola, or offering short caboose rides at the Jackson Street Roundhouse museum. It's stove keeps the inside toasty warm in the winter and its lights allow night-time operation. Soo 31 was generously donated in mid-2001 by CP Rail. Over the winter of 2001-2002, the interior was repainted and windows reglazed. In spring 2004 the roof was recoated and the paint cleaned. During the winter of 2006-07, a bashed corner of the cupola was repaired, the plated-over windows restored, and the exterior repainted.

The following historical data draws heavily upon an excellent article by Bryan Alden and Jason Korth, published in the Fall 2000 issue of the Soo Line Historical and Technical Society's "The SOO" magazine. That issue also included an excellent wall poster detailing the Soo Line's wide-vision cabooses.

In 1966, the Soo Line began buying steel extra-wide-vision cabooses built by the International Car Company of Buffalo, New York. These replaced a fleet of wooden cabooses which dated back as far as the 1880's. A total of 145 were purchased in seven separate orders between 1966 and 1973. 31 is from the third order, which was for twenty cabooses numbered 16 - 35. This order was placed in 1967, under AFE (Authorization For Expenditure) SE-10-67, and the cars delivered in May of 1968. The cost was approximately $26,000 each.

Original Equipment: The cupola was offset slightly towards the B end. Underneath were a radio & battery locker, a storage locker, a utility locker, and a clothes locker. On each side of the cupola was a high-backed reversible seat. A brake valve, brake pipe pressure gauge, and radio handset were provided in the cupola. The main level was fairly open. In each corner an end-facing seat was installed. The A-end left also had a hinged-top desk. ("Left" and "Right" assume one is standing at the B-end, where the handbrake is, facing the car.) Next to the cabinets under the cupola, at A-left was a fuel oil tank and stove, at A-right was the electrical cabinet, at B-right was the restroom, and at B-left was the water cooler.

Upgrades/Modifications: The stationary windows were originally safety glass set in double-grooved rubber gasket, locked with a zip strip. All had rounded corners. After new FRA regulations took effect in 1980 (49 CFR part 223), some windows were replaced with plexiglass in screw-in aluminum frames and others were simply plated over. MTM reglazed in 2001 because the plexiglass was deteriorated and hard to see through.

Originally equipped with AB brakes, 31 was one of five equipped with Westcode Z1AW control valves in a circa-1980 test. Though still stencilled "Z1Aw", the valves appear to be modern ABD's.

The original Spicer generator (a 1 or 1.5kw unit hung from the side sill opposite the brake valves, driven by a gear box on the R3 journal) proved unreliable, and was replaced by a Dayco M3 mounted on the R3 truck side frame.

The built-in Motorola radio was removed, probably in the 1990's, replaced by the crew's hand-held units.

The original Pyle-National markers were mini "classic" markers on each corner, between the side and end windows. These were replaced early on by lights recessed into the end corners of the roof overhangs. Sometime after 1988, these were deactivated and Starlite model-845 lights with 7" red lenses were mounted just below the roof walks on the ends. The original Pyle-National cupola roof rotating light was later replaced with a Dietz (Visall) model 510-3170 flasher. This had an amber lens until changed to red around 1980, due to regulatory changes. The flasher was probably removed entirely in the early 1990's.

The water cooler was removed, probably in the 1990's, in favor of individually bottled water. If the original equipment failed, it was likely replaced by a Prime Manufacturing PMC-400.

The original incinerator toilet was replaced by a more common retention toilet. (Monogram model 17140263?)

Equipment Details