Before renovations. Spring 2017.
Caboose Renovation
For a year and a half, starting in the Spring of 2017, I had the privilege of working for the late Bob Arbuckle, repairing and improving his caboose on the property of Arbuckle’s Railroad Place just south of downtown in Noblesville, Indiana.
About 80% completed. Fall 2018.
Exterior work consisted of: covering the decaying wood siding with cedar trim and standing seam steel roofing, painting both porches, rebuilding one exterior door, repairing rot in portions of the bumpers, repairing and replacing steps and some porch support structure, painting the cupula and trucks, painting the large “the railroad place” letters and improving the mounting method, replacing rotted wood on the corners of the cupula roof, minor roof patching, and completely rebuilding the eight main windows.
Interior work included: painting walls and ceiling, rebuilding the opening/closing mechanism for the main windows, replacing rotted subfloor and floor joists, and replacing electric space heaters.
This is a project that was never completely finished, but the caboose is in much better condition than when I started, and the roof, windows and siding are now in a better state.
January 2023 Update: Unfortunately, after Mr. Arbuckle passed away a few years ago, the caboose has been left to fend for itself. Many parts need to be re-restored. The property appears to be up for sale and the caboose’s future is not clear - at least not to me.
The bottom door panels had been kicked in.
The door rebuilt. The sill needs to be replaced - part of the 20% of the renovations that are not complete.
All 8 main-level windows were in extremely rough condition.
The windows were all redesigned, completely rebuilt, and trimmed with cedar.
There was ignificant rot on all corners of the cupula roof
The corners, rebuilt with cedar and epoxy, then subsequently painted yellow after this picture was taken.
Watch your step! A portion of the subfloor had rotted.
After replacing part of the subfloor. Unfortunately, new flooring was never done.
2x6 cedar trim as prep for new steel siding
Tar paper under the siding to protect from condensation
Some of the original siding needed to be replaced to hold fasteners for the new siding.
Detail inside the cupula
Stairs and storage in the cupula
Black locust lumber ready to put down for the porch floors