Youngstown Caboose Appeal Reaches 1/6 Funding

By Patrick Webb

Petersburg, Virginia. Resting on rails cut off from the mainline is Erie Lackawanna Railroad caboose C335. According to the Tristate Railway Historical Society, which owns one of C335’s siblings, No. C330, the cabooses were built by the Erie Railroad in 1952. The Erie Railroad would later merge with the Lackawanna Railroad into the Erie Lackawanna Railroad, and the cabooses continued to be used. 
In 1976, the Erie cabooses would be taken into the ownership of Conrail, and in the 1980’s many of the Erie cabooses were sold off. C335 continued in service and eventually ended up in the ownership of CSX, according to Rick Rowlands, the Manager of Youngstown Steel Heritage Museum, who donated the caboose to Youngstown in 2018. CSX donated the caboose to Youngstown Steel Heritage because of their project to restore Erie Lackawanna locomotive 3639, unfortunately the cost of 3639’s project has not left funds for C335. 
Mr. Rowlands explains in a video uploaded to his Facebook page on July 20, 2019, that because of other projects at Youngstown Steel Heritage took priorities, such as their recently restored steam locomotive J&L 58, Youngstown Steel Heritage have had trouble finding the funds to move C335 from Petersburg, Virginia to Youngstown, Ohio. If Mr. Rowlands can’t raise the funds to move C335, CSX might be forced to take C335 back and scrap the caboose. 
Mr. Rowlands reported that C335 can’t be moved by rail because of “defects,” along with the fact the rails it’s sitting on aren’t connected to the mainline, and plans to ship the caboose out. He already has a trucking company set up to move it by rolling C335 onto a trailer, and a cost: $6,500. Now all that is needed is the funds to move C335 to Youngstown. 
To raise the money, Mr. Rowlands created a Go Fund Me fundraiser, titled “Erie Lackawanna Bay Caboose” on July 20, 2019. At the time of writing, $1,008 has been raised. This brings the Go Fund Me Fundraiser to around 1/6th of the needed funding, though there is still a need for funds.
Youngstown Steel Heritage is a nonprofit located in Youngstown, Ohio, which aims to preserve the history of steel works in the local area and across the US. Youngstown Steel Heritage is well known in the Train Enthusiast Community due to their restoration of Jones & Laughlin Steel 58, built in 1937. According to a video on the Youngstown Steel Heritage’s YouTube page, J&L is a Porter-built 0-4-0T, 23” gauge steel mill locomotive, which Mr. Rowlands and his team restored, and are now running excursions with at the Youngstown Steel Heritage Museum, 2261 Hubbard Road in Youngstown, OH. 
No. C335, being built for standard gauge (or 4 ft. 8 ½ gauge) will not be used with No. 58. Youngstown Steel Heritage does have a collection of standard gauge equipment. According to Youngstown Steel Heritage’s YouTube Page, they have another Erie Lackawanna project with a ex-Erie Lackawanna SDP45 No. 3639, which has also faced transportation trouble with Norfolk Southern. On the move to Youngstown 3639 will wear temporary Conrail decals. Youngstown has enough funds to purchase 3639 and will soon start fundraising to transport 3639.
Mr. Rowlands was not available for comment for the article. 
If you wish to donate towards C335’s movement costs, you can check out the Go Fund Me fundraiser here: www.gofundme.com/f/erie-lackawanna-bay-window-caboose?fbclid=IwAR35L9OUx-6zXPduw8BkKYXUDcJwBW9ZaYipGvof_xDqdjztxZ02fAQUSE0 
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Sources: 
Tri State Railroad Historical Society. “Erie 330.” www.tristaterail.org/eriec330 
Rowlands, Rick. Facebook Video. 20 July, 2019. www.facebook.com/todengine/videos/10211421255246672/ 
“The Long Awaited SDP45 Update!” Youngstown Steel Heritage. 21 July, 2019.  www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZvp0LiFnFc






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