WP668 in the air, San Jose, May 2007 Image Copyright 2007 Danek Duvall |
WP668 Caboose StoryWP668 is a historic Western Pacific Railroad caboose which is now being restored by Katy Dickinson and John Plocher, a private family in San Jose, California, USA. More information and pictures are added as WP668's story evolves.
Questions, corrections, and additions are welcome!
Published information on WP668 is in the References section below. In the Suppliers and Supporters section below you will find the names of the vendors we have used, our train club, the museums which have supported our restoration project, and others. |
HO scale model caboose on WP668 wheel truck Image Copyright 2006 Katy Dickinson |
WP668 - April 2009:
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WP668 - December 2008:
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Last updated: 20 April 2009
WP668 Caboose History
See Historic_Pictures and
Newer_Pictures, below.
- 1916:
- WP668 was originally built by Pullman as a steel strapped Western Pacific wooden box car in 1916 (during World War I).
- WP668's steel straps are embossed in several places with the Pullman brand "ILLINOIS. G. U.S.A."
- 1943:
- In October 1943, WP668 was converted to serve as a caboose on San Francisco Bay Area freight trains (during World War II).
- Two bay windows replaced the original side freight doors. The front and back doors and decks, and interior caboose fittings were installed.
- 1976:
- After serving in the Sacramento area on fruit trains of the Sacramento Northern line, WP668 was retired from active service.
- WP668 was sold by Western Pacific to a private owner who leased out the caboose as office space on the San Francisco waterfront.
- We think it was this first private owner who removed the front of one of the bay windows and cut out a large window opening in the side of WP668.
- circa 2000
- WP668 was acquired by the Golden Gate Railroad Museum in San Francisco's Hunter's Point neighborhood.
- Restoration by GGRM was planned and started.
- 2006
- GGRM sold WP668 to John Plocher and Katy Dickinson in January 2006 after the museum lost its Hunter's Point lease in San Francisco.
- In February 2006, WP668 was moved by truck from San Francisco to storage in San Jose.
- While in storage, the roof was rebuilt and the ceiling lights were installed.
- Dickinson-Plocher backyard swimming pool was removed and a very short rail line built in the same location.
- 2007
- San Jose City Council grants a variance for WP668. Building permits are issued.
- In May 2007, WP668 was moved onto the very short rail line in the Dickinson-Plocher backyard.
- The exterior was stripped and painted.
- Both decks and the bay window were rebuilt.
- 2008
- The inside was painted, the floor was rebuilt and covered with linoleum, the metal roof was installed.
- The electrical and network wiring were completed.
- The stained glass was designed and installed.
- The cactus garden and arroyito were designed and created.
- The historical markings and WP herald were added.
- The handrails were designed and created.
- 2009
- The San Jose City permits were signed off (24 February 2009).
- Fainting couch restoration complete - couch moves into caboose.
- Bay Window seat designed and installed
- Work in Progress on WP668:
- Welding cleanup and metal coating for the stair railing
- Install roof walk, attach it to existing ladders
- Restore the rest of the windows (1 done, 5 to go)
- Complete the back deck and step woodwork (steel is done)
- Restore brake rigging and wheels
- Reattach and restore battery box
- Restore (replace?) the doors
We don't have any photos yet of WP668 from 1916 - 1972
or from 1976-2005.
Please contact katy.john at sun.com if you
find any!
1973-1974 Historic Photos of WP668
#1: September 1974, Sacramento, California
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Photo from p.122 of Western Pacific Color Guide to Freight and
Passenger Equipment by Jim Eager, 2001,
Publisher:
Morning Sun Books (ISBN-10: 158248063X, ISBN-13: 978-1582480633).
The caption is: "WP 668 NE series 644-668 - Converted in October 1943 and still two years away from retirement, the 668 was at Sacramento in September 1974. That is the axle-drive for the generator silhouetted inboard the right hand truck. (Peter Arnold)"
Used with permission of Bob Yanosey, Morning Sun Books A black and white version of this image was also published on pp.22-23 of "The Western Pacific Headlight" Issue #35, Spring 2008. |
#2: circa 1974, location unknown
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Location/Date/Photographer unknown. S. Roger Kirkpatrick collection
Listed on Central California Rails Caboose Index - W Used with permission of S. Roger Kirkpatrick |
#3: July 1974, Oakland, California
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Photo by E. Chambers, in Oakland, California.
Purchased from John C. La Rue, Jr. Used with permission of John C. La Rue, Jr. |
#4: 16 July 1973, Sacramento, California
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Photo from p. 8: "The Self-Propelled Era on the Sacramento Northern" by Tom Irion, "Western Pacific Headlight" Issue #29, Spring 2006, Publisher: Feather River Rail Society and WPRRHS. The caption is: "WP's wooden bay-window cabs, long bumped from mainline service, continued to earn their keep on the rear of SN trains well into the 1970s. Number 668 was assigned to the Woodland branch melon extra on July 16, 1973. - Dave Stanley photo"
Used with permission of Dave Stanley |
#5: 16 July 1973, Sacramento, California
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Photo from p. 3: "Western Pacific Headlight" Issue #29, Spring 2006, Publisher: Feather River Rail Society and WPRRHS.
Used with permission of Dave Stanley |
2006-2008 Photos of WP668
For more pictures of the detailed restoration of WP668, read katysblog
GGRM Jan 2006
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January 2006 at GGRM, San Francisco
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January 2006 at GGRM, San Francisco
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Feb 2006 Loading Trucks, GGRM in SF
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February 2006 moving to San Jose
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February 2006 moving to San Jose
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February 2006 moving to San Jose
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February 2006 moving to San Jose
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Safely Landed in Storage, San Jose
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2006 - Removing Swimming Pool
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Ties in Place
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Spiking Track
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2006 - A Very Short Track
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2006, Ballasted
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2006, Moving Trucks
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2006, Moving Trucks
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2007 - Going Home
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Move from Storage to Home
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Over the trees
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2007 - Almost down
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We did it!
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2007 - Painting the Exterior
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2007 - Painting Trim
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2008 Fixing the floor
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Rebuilding the bay window
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Painting the interior
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2008 - New Roof
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2008 - New Floor
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Checking it out
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Electrical work
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2008 - Starting the New Garden
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2008 - Planting Cactus
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2008 - More Cactus
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More Electrical
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2008 - New Fence
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2008 - New Fence
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Rocks and Cactus
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Cactus Garden and Arroyito
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Stained Glass in Bay Window
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2008 - New Furniture Inside
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Summer 2008 - Inside WP668
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Summer 2008 - Outside WP668
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October 2008 - New Stair Rail, Markings
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WP668 Drawing by
Eleanor Creekmore Dickinson 
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December 2008
Adding WP Herald 
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December 2008
Outside View of WP668
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March 2009
Inside WP668 
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24 Feb 2009 Permits Signed Off
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March 2009 Window Seat
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Window Seat Done
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April 2009 Flowers
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WP668 References
YouTube Video, Added May 11, 2007, From sfineberg
Video of the caboose move (with sound), 9 minutes 24 seconds
YouTube Video, Added May 14, 2007, From johnplocher
Webcam images of the caboose move from the upstairs window -
image taken every 30 seconds - made into a video (no sound),
1 minute 8 seconds
Suppliers and Supporters