If I bought an old piece of equipment, like a caboose, how would I go about having it moved? How would it be billed? What about brake equipment? journal bearings?
I suppose you would start shipping it by whatever railroad’s tracks it is currently on, then if necessary they could transfer it to other railways just like a box car…
However you can’t have friction bearings on the caboose, otherwise it can’t go through interchange with another railroad, and depending on the condition of the body the railroad may or may not ship it. You might even have to have it put on a flatcar or something (if it is in rough enough shape), and then it starts to get expensive… gotta get a crane in and whatnot…
I’m pretty sure the brake system has to be operational (can’t be ACO) if you want to run it through interchange as well.
The bill would be paid right to the railway like a regular bill of any sort.
The other option would be to use a road transport low loader , thus doing away with the need to have the equipment operational – not sure cost wise ! Thats how WCRA transported 2-8-2 #16 from Squami***o Kamloops for restoration.
If you were to transport it by road you porbably would have to get it moved professionally and pay over size and over weight fees
I can’t help but think about the Chicago Aurora & Elgin # 318 wooden interurban car that was destroyed in a humpyard mishap, even though the car had do not hump painted all over it. I think about the WC picking up 2 south shore interurbans and putting them on the head end of a 8000 ton freight train. I guess it depends on just how old the piece is, the RRs do not treat stuff with kid gloves so keep that in mind. Personally I prefer borrowing four jacks pulling the trucks out and hiring a lowboy. I prefer this method for small locomotives also and if you want to buy a 60 ton GE from me I can get you a pretty good deal on shipping .
Randy
A remember some time in the 1990s a museum(?) was moving an wooden caboose via truck. Someone did not do a good job checking height clarences. The news casts had video of the capola portion being destroyed by a concrete overpass.
Unless the cost is considerably more expensive for moving by rail, I would think a railfan would ship by railroad.
I could strap my diesel up and drag it. 
Adrianspeeder
The caboose at my Rultain Club was moved it the early 80’s. The trucks were removed and the steps were cut in half with a torch. The caboose was then moved 30 miles on a flat bed, about 10 of them on back roads. It was then set back on its trucks on a section of track that was in place. The steps were welded back on the next day. I’ll try and find out how much it cost to move it then.
A lot of how and if you can move it will depend upon the railroad involved. If you are buying from the railroad and you intend to move it to a destination on their RR you can often negotiate a free move, perhaps even cars with problems such as friction bearings or damage. A large amount depends upon what the equipment is and where it is as well as it’s condition. In any event moving it won’t be cheap.
LC
Maybe thats why I see cabooses so “atractively priced”. I thought for the price it would make a nice guest room. I guess if I looked locally, I could control such costs.
As for your offer randy, a locomotive should run. I know a good place for it, but unfortunately, they already have taken in too many strays and have no room.
A few years ago, the Lomita RR Museum bought a former 1950s-era Santa Fe diner to potentially use as a cafe. It was a ‘steal’ at under $20K. The car had been retired by Amtrak in the 70s and sold, later used as a fast food cafe. The cafe owner had made some “un-railroad-like” modifications (large glass door in the side). The car was no longer “rail worthy” so it had to be shipped on a lowboy. The rail car’s trucks were removed separately.
A crane was rented to lift the diner off the truck and place it on the trucks on the static track. Unfortunately, the trucks were reversed on the static track, and the diner frame was damaged when it was lowered onto the trucks. (The diner’s weight was not evenly distributed because all the kitchen gear was concentrated on one end). The car remained on the museum property unused for a couple of years; it had a noticable tilt caused by the frame damage.
Because the museum intended to have the car used by the public, it had to go through a raft of inspections. The inspection turned up many problems to fix: asbestos removal, windows and window seals, holes in the roof, etc. Plus there were new laws to comply with: ADA accessibility (i.e. there needed to be enough room for folks in wheelchairs), etc.
The museum’s funds were limited, and it became clear that it would not be cost effective to restore the car. It was ultimately sold for scrap and taken away.
You would probably not face all these issues if you buy a caboose for personal use, but I give you this information as a “head’s up” about some things to be aware of.
Switching damage is common on the vintage cars that have been moved to the Austin & Northwest. But graffeti is a more common problem – ever try to remove spray paint from stainless steel without scratching?
dd
Yea I’ve tried that before. I scratched it.
I guess the cost of restoration is also an important consideration. I have many freinds who have bought old cars [automobiles], only to have them sit and rust.
Go to the main part of the TRAINS website and look under the links on the left side. Click on “Railroad Industry” link and then click on page 3 at bottom. When page 3 comes up, follow links at top middle to articles “Own a Piece of History Part 1” and “Own a Piece of History Part 2”. These articles are about a guy that searched for and bought a caboose for his backyard in San Diego. He had a length of track installed and moved the caboose there using both rail and a truck for the last portion. It gives you some ideas about both the process and the cost of actually doing it. Nice articles.
LC
I checked it out, and it’s very cool. I guess I am far from alone in my aspirations. My wife and I are thinking of moving in the next year, so we could look for a property with this in mind and maybe include the costs in our mortgage.
Thanks for the heads up!