Re: Caboose Color

Interesting find. from at least one car, it would seem as though what Denver said to do on paper took a while to take hold in Alamosa;

Caboose 04490, which records show was rebuilt into a caboose in late 1918 or early 1919 was painted bright red for its first coat of paint as a caboose (the original bright red paint can be found on the ends of the car, above the doors, under layers of later boxcar red. The original white "04990" in an earlier font is also visible. 04990 also had a "sky blue" ceiling at first as that color could be seen as the first layer of paint on the ceiling boards. Sadly, the original ceiling perished in the 2007 arson fire that caused 04990 to be removed from Boulder's central park. The end walls, though damaged, survived and the original bright red paint and car number is still there.

Jason Midyette