Pacific Lumber caboose purchased as memorial: Wooden car a remnant of a vibrant past Humboldt Beacon Posted: 01/14/2010 10:10:13 AM PST Mary Bullwinkel Beacon Correspondent The red caboose in Scotia will soon be moving to a new home. The Pacific Lumber Company #5 wooden caboose, parked next to the Fire Hall in Scotia, will soon be moving to the roundhouse in Samoa, and joining the Timber Heritage Association (THA) collection. THA President Marcus Brown is making the transfer happen. He is buying the caboose as a memorial to his mother who recently passed away, and is then donating it to THA. Before her death, Brown shared newspaper articles with her, about the moving of the THA historic railroad and logging collection from Glendale to Samoa. “She said it made her happy to see her son following his passion and dreams of an excursion train and museum,” Brown said. “This is a fitting tribute to her honor.” Brown said he has been watching the red caboose in Scotia for many years, believing that is belonged with the other historic Pacific lumber artifacts in the THA collection. When Pacific Lumber filed bankruptcy in 2007, Brown became even more attentive. Brown recently contacted the Town of Scotia Company LLC, which acquired ownership of the town of Scotia and various assets including the caboose in July 2008. He spoke with Pierce Baymiller, President and Town Manager, who said he was pleased to have the opportunity to make the caboose available to Brown and THA, knowing that it would be restored and preserved. There is little written history about the caboose to be found in the archives in Scotia, so the exact age of this railroad artifact is unknown. Patent dates on the car stops on the caboose however, include the years 1904, 1905, 1906, and 1907. It is also unknown if the caboose was built in the shops in Scotia or purchased from an outside source. Brown said it is completely intact and in tremendous condition for it's age and the fact that it's been stored uncovered for many years. “The conductor's desk, bunks, furnishings, they're all there,” Brown said. “It is truly a jewel.” The plans are to move the caboose from Scotia to Samoa in the next few weeks. Mary Bullwinkle/Beacon
