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Caboose - A Great Tale !
Apr 23rd, 2006 This is the story of one special caboose. It begins in the latter years of the First World War. The railways in Canada were busy delivering the necessities of war to the ports in eastern Canada for shipment to allied troops involved in the conflict. Times were prosperous and railroads were expanding. One group of railways were consolidated to form the Canadian Government Railway. This group ordered and received 5,000 new box cars to handle the anticipated increase of freight business. Unfortunately, this was not to be, and the companies became close to bankruptcy. To preserve the rail service, the Federal Government took control of the ailing companies and created a new service on December 20, 1918, named the Canadian National Railway (CNR). One of the included companies was the Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR), which built the track through the Fraser Canyon which is presently used by the CNR. The caboose in this story was one of these new freight cars. (In know that a caboose is not a box car, but let me continue this tale). The box car was taken over by the CNR and put in to service with a new CNR number – 41472. For the next 35 years, it was part of various freight trains traveling over the CNR system. In 1953 the CNR needed more cabooses for its trains; and as was custom, they rebuilt CN boxcar No. 41472. It soon sported new platforms, doors, windows and a cupola. On its colourful new coat of paint, it received its new caboose number – CN78939, Now CN78939 provided shelter for its train crews, complete with a stove, bunks and bathroom. It was cared for by a conductor, who traveled with it whenever it was on the road. It was all set for a new job ! For the next 31 years, this caboose served those who worked with her, well. But it seems that all good things have to come to an end, and by 1984 the railways of North America were replacing their cabooses with electronic devices. They were now considered obsolete, except for special work trains for right-of-way maintenance. CN78939 was no longer needed. A work order was posted on its side, directing it to the scrap yard for demolition. About this time, the Lytton and District Heritage Society heard about the elimination of cabooses, and wrote to the CNR to see if it would be possible to obtain one. Weeks passed and no word, until one day a letter came offering CN78939 for the sum of a dollar. The Society, being financially able to meet the request, responded quickly. After a few more weeks, CN78939 was sitting on the CN storage track below the village. Those of you who are familiar with Lytton, know that it is on the edge of the Fraser River Canyon and that the CNR track is well below the village. How does one move a railway car which is nearly 40 feet long and weighing about 20 tons, up to a park nearly 50 feet higher ? That is another story in itself involving a railcar transport truck and a police off-road vehicle, but eventually it arrived on its present site, across the street from Lytton’s Visitor Centre, in the Lytton Legion Park. Repairs were necessary to make the car useful. The Lytton Lions Club replaced damaged and worn siding. The roof was repaired and the interior repainted. The car is as it was when it was in service, with one addition; a model railway was constructed to show the railway construction in this area of the Fraser Canyon. The caboose is open from 10 am to 2 pm most days during the summer, depending on availability of volunteer interpreters. For the past few years, we have shown life in a caboose to over a thousand visitors each year. There is no admission charge, but donations prove helpful in keeping the caboose displays in order. For more information, please contact the Lytton Visitor Centre. - submitted by Joe Chute
Contact Information
Name:	Gold Country Communities Society
Address:	Box 933 Cache Creek, BC, CA V0K 1H0
Phone:	1-877-453-9467
Fax:	1-877-453-9467
Email:	info@exploregoldcountry.com

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