He Moved A Coboose To His Farm

2010 - Volume #34, Issue #2, Page #44

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How do you move a 28,000-lb. caboose 40 miles to your farm without spending more than you paid for it? That was Darril Clark's problem when he purchased an old 1960's caboose and 30 ft. of track for $11,000.
    What started as a simple project - he wanted to put the caboose in the back yard for his grandkids to play in - turned into a transportation-engineering feat and two years of renovation.
    Clark, a retired mechanic in Scappoose, Oregon, recruited friends to help him move it.
    "I had a pair of log truck axles, so I jacked the caboose up and took off the train wheels," he explains. "I rolled the tandem axles under the back end and welded them in place. Up front I put in a king pin so I could pull it with a semi tractor."
    The width was just 1 ft. over the legal road limit so he could get by with an extra-wide permit. The caboose's 15-ft. height was more of a challenge.
    "I cut off the cupola and put it on a flat bed trailer along with the railroad wheels," Clark says. Then, a friend pulled the caboose to Clark's property. He was able to move the caboose into place with a forklift, and then put the caboose back together.
    Clark poured eight 4 by 4 by 4-ft. concrete slabs to support the heavy caboose. But he had plenty of work ahead of him.
    "I completely went through it and stripped out all the wood and windows. Much of it was rotten," Clark says. "It worked out pretty good because I needed a few new tools, and my wife let me get them to finish this project."
    He hired someone to spray the interior with foam, and then installed plywood over the insulation before finishing everything off in red oak. The caboose was turned into a classy guesthouse.
    Clark faced a few challenges. To divide off the bathroom area, with its claw foot tub, string-pull toilet and vessel sink, he put up a wall of glass blocks. Custom furniture was built and assembled inside, because the narrow doors wouldn't accommodate regular furniture. Clark built a spiral staircase to lead to a bedroom up in the cupola.
    The caboose is cozy for guests even in winter with in-floor heating under the bathroom portion, a propane heater and in-wall electric heater. While the inside is totally changed, the renovations purposefully maintained the original exterior. Clark hired someone to sandblast it to bare metal, and after making necessary repairs he painted it red.
    "I worked on it for two years off and on, as a hobby. It was a therapy place for me to unwind," Clark says.
    He enjoyed adding special touches such as rope lights hidden behind an ornate cornice that lights up as little crosses.
    "Most people are impressed with all the oak in it," he says. "The grandkids love hanging out in the caboose, but it has attracted more adults than kids." He named the caboose "Jenny's Railroad Express" in honor of his wife.
    He estimates he spent about $20,000 for the complete project and says he is willing to advise others how to move and renovate a caboose.
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Darril Clark, 51995 SW Bonnie Lane, Scappoose, Ore. 97056 (ph 503 543-7628).

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He Moved A Coboose To His Farm FARM HOME Miscellaneous How do you move a 28 000-lb caboose 40 miles to your farm without spending more than you paid for it? That was Darril Clark s problem when he purchased an old 1960 s caboose and 30 ft of track for $11 000 What started as a simple project - he wanted to put the caboose in the back yard for his grandkids to play in - turned into a transportation-engineering feat and two years of renovation Clark a retired mechanic in Scappoose Oregon recruited friends to help him move it I had a pair of log truck axles so I jacked the caboose up and took off the train wheels he explains I rolled the tandem axles under the back end and welded them in place Up front I put in a king pin so I could pull it with a semi tractor The width was just 1 ft over the legal road limit so he could get by with an extra-wide permit The caboose s 15-ft height was more of a challenge I cut off the cupola and put it on a flat bed trailer along with the railroad wheels Clark says Then a friend pulled the caboose to Clark s property He was able to move the caboose into place with a forklift and then put the caboose back together Clark poured eight 4 by 4 by 4-ft concrete slabs to support the heavy caboose But he had plenty of work ahead of him I completely went through it and stripped out all the wood and windows Much of it was rotten Clark says It worked out pretty good because I needed a few new tools and my wife let me get them to finish this project He hired someone to spray the interior with foam and then installed plywood over the insulation before finishing everything off in red oak The caboose was turned into a classy guesthouse Clark faced a few challenges To divide off the bathroom area with its claw foot tub string-pull toilet and vessel sink he put up a wall of glass blocks Custom furniture was built and assembled inside because the narrow doors wouldn t accommodate regular furniture Clark built a spiral staircase to lead to a bedroom up in the cupola The caboose is cozy for guests even in winter with in-floor heating under the bathroom portion a propane heater and in-wall electric heater While the inside is totally changed the renovations purposefully maintained the original exterior Clark hired someone to sandblast it to bare metal and after making necessary repairs he painted it red I worked on it for two years off and on as a hobby It was a therapy place for me to unwind Clark says He enjoyed adding special touches such as rope lights hidden behind an ornate cornice that lights up as little crosses Most people are impressed with all the oak in it he says The grandkids love hanging out in the caboose but it has attracted more adults than kids He named the caboose Jenny s Railroad Express in honor of his wife He estimates he spent about $20 000 for the complete project and says he is willing to advise others how to move and renovate a caboose Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Darril Clark 51995 SW Bonnie Lane Scappoose Ore 97056 ph 503 543-7628

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