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KingsleyRailFan wrote:Is there a rail line through Thompsonville anymore, or is it a Rail-Trail now?

Just a trail.

Here's the GT caboose in Ionia that used to be at Gregory's.

Just searched the entire thread and didn't find any mention of these. One of the former PRR Cabooses that the D&M acquired secondhand, an N5B if I remember correctly, is displayed next to the two story depot in Gaylord along the active Lake State line. Not sure if the D&M ever operated this in their later years after the NYC days. If this is a legitimate D&M Caboose, its the only survivor save for the wood one that was just meticulously restored at Greenfield Village. I believe they have one or two cabooses too. The Henry Ford has that spotless wood CP plow indoors as well.

The C&O Cabooses at Eagle and Sparta have both recently undergone cosmetic restorations.

I also recently discovered a caboose within the last year or two has been moved into someone's backyard in Boyne City, a few blocks away from the depot. It was in the midst of a cosmetic restoration and it sounds like it will be turned into a guest house. Looked to be former GT or Santa Fe.

The N&W Caboose at Vierson Boiler Works was also not mentioned here, as is the N&W Caboose in Muskegon located up on the hill along Lake Shore Drive.

MQT1223 wrote:Just searched the entire thread and didn't find any mention of these. One of the former PRR Cabooses that the D&M acquired secondhand, an N5B if I remember correctly, is displayed next to the two story depot in Gaylord along the active Lake State line. Not sure if the D&M ever operated this in their later years after the NYC days. If this is a legitimate D&M Caboose, its the only survivor save for the wood one that was just meticulously restored at Greenfield Village. I believe they have one or two cabooses too. The Henry Ford has that spotless wood CP plow indoors as well.

The D&M caboose (#207) you are referring to is displayed in Grayling, not Gaylord. D&M cabooses (PRR) are also preserved in Standish (#205) and Lincoln (#206).

This thread in no way covers all cabooses in this state.
Please check out this listing by Mr. Eddie Gross:
http://www.railroadmichigan.com/cabooselist.html

MQT1223 wrote:I also recently discovered a caboose within the last year or two has been moved into someone's backyard in Boyne City, a few blocks away from the depot. It was in the midst of a cosmetic restoration and it sounds like it will be turned into a guest house. Looked to be former GT or Santa Fe.

Could you provide a specific location? The Google imagery of Boyne City has not been updated since 2014...

I drove to Charlotte yesterday to hunt for two cabooses.

Missouri Pacific 13269 is located in a backyard in the middle of town. I managed to find a way to photograph this one. Supposedly the owner of the caboose has passed away and the local historical society is eyeing it for future (more public) display.





Farther out of town, about halfway to Vermontville, I found GTW 77044. It is either currently a storage shed or cabin (I could not tell). Previously, other than Eddie Gross' photos, I had not seen any other photos of this hack.

There is also a steel C&O Chessie cupola caboose, N&W steel bay window caboose, and a Ex-ATSF off centered cupola caboose in Coopersville, MI on the Coopersville and Marne railway.

Caboose near Manchester I thought to be gone, was just hiding in the bushes
http://www.railroadmichigan.com/cabmanchester2.jpg

gbw wrote:Caboose near Manchester I thought to be gone, was just hiding in the bushes
http://www.railroadmichigan.com/cabmanchester2.jpg

Is it just sitting on an isolated piece of track?

MQT1223 wrote:

gbw wrote:Caboose near Manchester I thought to be gone, was just hiding in the bushes
http://www.railroadmichigan.com/cabmanchester2.jpg

Is it just sitting on an isolated piece of track?

It is behind someone's house.

NS3322 wrote:

MQT1223 wrote:

gbw wrote:Caboose near Manchester I thought to be gone, was just hiding in the bushes
http://www.railroadmichigan.com/cabmanchester2.jpg

Is it just sitting on an isolated piece of track?

It is behind someone's house.

So, did they move it farther back on the property? It used to be very visible along M52, very near the road and at a right angle to it. I've looked for it a couple of times recently, driving past there, and not seen it.

Caboose is in same spot, beside their house. The trees have just grown up around it, I imagine when the leaves come out it will be a lot more hidden.

It does appear to be sitting on a short piece of tracks

gbw wrote:Caboose is in same spot, beside their house. The trees have just grown up around it, I imagine when the leaves come out it will be a lot more hidden.

I wondered about this caboose too. I guess it was just more visible 10 years ago

MQT1223 wrote:I also recently discovered a caboose within the last year or two has been moved into someone's backyard in Boyne City, a few blocks away from the depot. It was in the midst of a cosmetic restoration and it sounds like it will be turned into a guest house. Looked to be former GT or Santa Fe.

Could you provide a specific location? The Google imagery of Boyne City has not been updated since 2014... [/quote]

When I go back this weekend I'll post the location.

MQT1223 wrote:

MQT1223 wrote:I also recently discovered a caboose within the last year or two has been moved into someone's backyard in Boyne City, a few blocks away from the depot. It was in the midst of a cosmetic restoration and it sounds like it will be turned into a guest house. Looked to be former GT or Santa Fe.

When I go back this weekend I'll post the location.

Did you ever find the location? I drove thru Boyne City two weekends ago and I could not find anything...

NS3322 wrote:

MQT1223 wrote:

MQT1223 wrote:I also recently discovered a caboose within the last year or two has been moved into someone's backyard in Boyne City, a few blocks away from the depot. It was in the midst of a cosmetic restoration and it sounds like it will be turned into a guest house. Looked to be former GT or Santa Fe.

When I go back this weekend I'll post the location.

Did you ever find the location? I drove thru Boyne City two weekends ago and I could not find anything...

I could not find it again, but I know for a fact it is there. Lemme make a few texts...

NS3322 wrote:

MQT1223 wrote:

MQT1223 wrote:I also recently discovered a caboose within the last year or two has been moved into someone's backyard in Boyne City, a few blocks away from the depot. It was in the midst of a cosmetic restoration and it sounds like it will be turned into a guest house. Looked to be former GT or Santa Fe.

When I go back this weekend I'll post the location.

Did you ever find the location? I drove thru Boyne City two weekends ago and I could not find anything...

The caboose in question is at the corner of Lincoln and Lake. I do not recall which corner, but it’s definitely a wood GTW caboose.

I'm curious whether the caboose in Boyne City was at one time the purple caboose that used to sit about a quarter mile south of the Boyne City RR tracks, west of Boyne Falls.

I've always wondered what happened to that caboose. It had a yellow smiley face where the GTW herald would have been.

Mr. fmilhaupt, the purple caboose you are referring to went from close to the Boyne City Railroad tracks to a place called Ravin Hill Discovery about 8 miles west of that location. It was perched on a tall hill and people could walk through it that came to the discovery center. after years of neglect it was purchased by a local gentleman and moved to Boyne City located on Lake st. almost to Division st. The gentleman is a law informant officer and will be glad to show you the caboose.

A quick side note, there is a caboose south of Boyne Falls on Old Mackinaw Trail hidden back in the woods, I know this because my father had a 25 ton P&H craine and unloaded it from a flat bed truck back in the 1960's.