Re: Silverton Northern Caboose Update

No, not much. We are making all the window frames today, I'm working on the lettering basically guessing at what might have been on the car. I did uncover the figure 1 from the original paint job over the door yesterday along with what sure looks like the original paint color. It looks like the sample of Princess Mineral Brown we have and not the bright Caboose Red the 49 at Golden is painted. There was no pin striping and measurements are basic--one inch above the edge of the wood, 2 1/2 high car number painted in white, but painted free hand as I can see the brush strokes. Years ago our historical society screwed and epoxyed a bronze plaque above the door to mark the caboose as being part of the historical walking tour. When we lifted the plaque yesterday it took all the paint layers off with it down to the original paint layer. I also uncovered later car numbers. I think the SN did a minimal job of lettering and may have used the same block/gothic style lettering used on their locomotive tenders--a style we see on the SRR 100 around 1900 down to the 4 in 1942. The one good picture I have of SN boxcars from around 1900 shows just the car number and the SN initials--nothing else. We should be moving towards painting the car body shortly as it has warmed considerably in the past two weeks and the snow is rapidly melting. A heat spell for Silverton is in the 40s.

Fritz