The Village of Plain City recently purchased a 1949 Chesapeake and Ohio Railway caboose, pictured above, from Mr. Tree Christmas Tree Farm in Blacklick. The caboose will be added to the Public Square project currently underway, joining an 1880s train depot the village purchased earlier this year.
(Photo submitted)
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The historic train at the center of the Plain City’s Public Square project will be getting a little longer, after the village purchased a caboose to join the depot.
Officials from the village recently announced the purchase of a 1949 Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Railway caboose from Mr. Tree Christmas Tree Farm in Blacklick.
The caboose was originally brought to the farm by former owner and operator Paul “Pat” Patterson and stood as a local landmark for more than three decades.
The caboose was constructed in 1949 and has a distinctive steel exterior. It stands at 12 feet tall, 10 feet wide and 40 feet long. The purchase also includes the contents of the caboose, railroad tracks and ties, bumper ends, access stairs, an internal pot belly stove, external lamps and a railroad crossing sign.
It will be the second historic train piece at the center of a project that aims to combine the old with the new.
The depot and caboose will be located in a new community park called the Public Square, located at the corner of East Bigelow Avenue and Church Street. Along with the historic train attractions, the park will eventually include outdoor green spaces and amenities like a splash pad, children’s play area, fire pit and seating areas.
In February, council approved the purchase of the historic, 1880s Brice train depot, which has since been relocated from Upper Arlington to the village.
When the village purchased it, Village Administrator Haley Lupton said it was an effort to pay homage to Plain City’s past.
She noted that the village was one of the leading stations in Ohio for shipping livestock on the Columbus and Indiana Central Railway and even received shipments of oysters from the east coast.
The rail service was so central to Plain City’s economy, Lupton said, that Maple Street was previously known as Railroad Street.
While the Brice depot resembles the one that once stood in Plain City, officials said the new C&O caboose also has a connection to the village.
The C&O Railway, known for “Chessie the Kitten” that was featured in its logo for generations, played a pivotal role in the development of the region’s rail infrastructure, according to information from Plain City Development Manager Jason Stanford.
Chesapeake and Ohio was formed in 1869 in Virginia and expanded operations over the years, ultimately becoming part of the Chessie System and later merging into CSX Transportation in the 1980s.
The Plain City area is still served by CSX Transportation.
Plain City officials said the caboose will initially be stored a secure location where it will undergo an authentic restoration process. The caboose’s original C&O colors and markings will be retained.
Following the restoration, the caboose will be relocated to the site of the Public Square project.
In March, council approved a contract with Outdoor FX to complete the relocation of the Brice depot for $160,270. At the time, Lupton noted that the company does similar work and has an employee on staff that restores historic buildings on the side.
Officials from the village said they welcome individuals or organizations with expertise in vintage railroad equipment and railroad history to contribute to the planning and execution of the restoration project.