Builder: Western Pacific (Originally Pullman). Year Built: circa 1943 (1916)

This Western Pacific wooden box car was converted with several others to serve as a caboose on local freight trains in the bay area. This car was in use until approximately 1977. Built by Pullman in 1916 as boxcars, the bay windows were added in 1943 along with the other "typical" appliances of a caboose, such as bunks and a stove. This car is a sister to Sacramento Northern #1642, also in our collection.

Upon the car's retirement it was sold to a private owner who leased it out as office space on the San Francisco waterfront. The caboose was acquired by one of our members and donated to the museum.

Several model railroaders have suggested using an Accurail box car as a starting point. Sand the roof flat to represent the canvas roof, and modify the underframe and the bolsters to match the truck spacing of the car. Two articles on WP outside braced cabeese are:

• WP 642, by Jim Providenza, Railroad Model Craftsman, Dec. 1991, p73
  
• WP Wood bay-window caboose, by Julian Cavalier, Railroad Model Craftsman, Dec. 1973, p.34