Hi J.B.,
I was indirectly the cause of the inquiry about S.V. Ry. Caboose #4. The genesis of that car is a tough nut to crack. Based on timing, you have to suspect that it might have been Oregon Short Line R.R. Caboose #16006 (1897-1899) / 599 (1899-1903). This particular caboose was used on an O.S.L. R.R. narrow gauge branch which ran southwest from Salt Lake City, and which was standardized in 1902. This caboose was the only narrow gauge caboose left on the O.S.L. R.R., after it put standard gauge trucks under 9 other narrow gauge caboose bodies in 1897.
Specifically, there was an item which stated “The Sumpter Valley railway … has purchased from the Oregon Short Line all the narrow-gauge equipment of the latter company … the Short Line had on hand … 158 freight, outfit, water and wrecking cars …” in the
Salt Lake Tribune, Vol. 45, No. 177 (April 10, 1903), at page 5, Col. 5 (Eccles Buys the Lot),
at, [
newspapers.lib.utah.edu] (Aug. 27, 2016). So, the S.V. Ry. would have gotten this particular O.S.L. R.R. caboose, and it was probably close to operating condition. The first report of the existence of this caboose on the S.V. Ry. was on June 30, 1910 in the
4th Annual Report of the Railroad Commission of Oregon (1910), at page 130,
at [
babel.hathitrust.org] (Aug. 31, 1916). For some reason, building No. 3 was a higher priority than fixing up No. 4, so No. 4 got the later number.
That brings me to the old triple valve under Caboose #3. The S.V. Ry. also purchased another 200 freight cars from the O.S.L. R.R. in 1897, according to the
Salt Lake Tribune, Vol. 53, No. 53 (June 6, 1897), at page 5, Col. 5,
at, [
newspapers.lib.utah.edu] (Aug. 30, 2016). Most of the total of 358 cars originated on the Utah & Northern Ry. in the 1880’s. But, not all of the 358 cars were put into service on the S.V. Ry. So, you have to suspect that these cars were liberally cannibalized when the S.V. Ry. built its own equipment, instead of the S.V. Ry. ordering new parts. That’s how you would get an 1880’s era triple valve under a car that was built in 1904.
As far as the build date of S.V. Ry. Caboose #4, my wild guess is 1880~1887 by the Union Pacific Ry. or the Ohio Falls Car Co. But, I have no idea how to follow up on that guess.
