Again, there is really no answer to the questions. Rumor has it, that since the caboose was nothing but a pile of metal after the fire, the park folks figures it was worthless just like the rest of the metal from the burned out gift shop, theater and visitors center.
"Rumor" has it that they instructed the clean up people to get rid of all the junk....and they did. Remember, to most people and old caboose.....especially one that burned.....is just an old caboose. I'm sure they had no idea (until later) that the thing had historic value. By later I mean that someone from this forum explained it to them, but by then they had no idea by whom, or where the "junk" had gone.
Jerry