C&O Cabooses

I had a business meeting in Williamsburg yesterday and decided to take the train from Richmond. It looks like that at one time the ROW was double tracked the entire way. I noticed as we passed the Williamsburg Pottery, there were two C&O cabooses alongside the row, hidden in some overgrowth. We went by too quick to see if they were on a siding....does anyone know anything about them? They didn't look like thy were in bad shape, but had obviously been there awhile.



Win

Hi,

Steel, cupola, C&O 903507 & 903523 have been in this location, 901 Lightfoot Rd., for at a least ten years and they have been rumored to be for sale for about 5 years. I believe they have been used as "affordable housing" from time to time!

The price of scrap steel will likely seal their fate before the end of this decade.

Cheers, Roger

The cabooses have probably been there in excess of 20 years. Reportedly they were acquired many years ago by the pottery store for product display purposes but nothing has ever been done with them. Some years ago I asked if they were available for sale or donation and the store said no. Reportedly a short-lived Norfolk area rail historical group with hopes of starting an excursion operation was able to acquire them but that group is now defunct. The cars have been vandalized quite a bit and rainwater coming in through the cupola windows has rotted out much of the interior woodwork. Vagrants have used the cabooses for shelter. Vines and brush are all over both of them now. The cabooses could probably still be saved if the store would be willing to let them go to an individual or group with money and volunteers.

The cars were indeed on a spur off the C&O main line but that switch was pulled a long time ago. They now sit on isolated track that's completely covered with trees and brush.

I had lived in Williamsburg during the late 80's and thought I had remembered them then, which is why I looked when we went by. I'm sure they're probably on friction bearings.......

I think they are indeed on friction bearings, but even if they had rollers, there's absolutely no way CSX would be willing to haul them without a thorough rehab of the brake works underneath. Also, I recall that one of them was missing its coupler knuckle. They'd have to be trucked to a site where they could be repaired and rebuilt.

The first order of business would be to trim back all the briars and kudzu that nearly cover both of them completely.

These two cabooses were scrapped last month.