Train buff

[Mike Pearson]

My two-year old grandson Austin takes after his Grandpa and is a train fanatic.  

Last weekend I took him to see a preserved Grand Trunk Western caboose in St. mary's, Ontario - he had a ball.

In the first photo he is with Kyanna, my eleven-year old granddaughter, and in the second one he is with me (my daughter took the photo)

Mike

[JIMBO]

There's a big surprise. Mike playing around trains again. Looks like a beautiful day to take the grand kids out Mike. JIM

[daacon]

Nice shots Mike - now how are you going to bring those home to play with   

[Mike Pearson]

Dave,

Thanks - it's a good job I already have a model of this caboose 

My family say I have a fixation with cabooses as I can't resist stopping to see one and I have about twenty-five model cabooses.

Mike

[calsan]

Nice contrasting colours there.  The expression on the young engineer's face is priceless!  Looks like he's suggesting a new paint job is in order.

[royd63uk]

great shot's Mike.looks like your having lot's of fun...is this a fully working train?

ROY

[Mike Pearson]

Roy,

No it's a caboose (brake van or guard's van) that has been restored and is kept on a disused portion of track next to the old preserved St. Mary's station. There is a new operating station on a different line.

The use of Cabooses was phased out in North America towards the end of 1989 and replaced by an electronic monitoring device on the last car.

Here is another Caboose preserved locally - showing the end, inside and stove.