1943 caboose comes to rest on Waite Park rail [St. Cloud Times, Minn.]

Nov. 26--WAITE PARK -- All aboard the newest Waite Park attraction that was built in the community more than half a century ago.

The St. Cloud Area Rail Legacy (STARail) Museum had a homecoming celebration for the Great Northern X-240 caboose at noon Friday in Waite Park where the rail car was built in 1943.

"It spent its service life up and down the line of the Great Northern Railway," Barry Schreiber said of the caboose, which was retired in the early 1980s.

The 30-foot caboose was stored in Buxton, N.D., according to Schreiber; the city later gave the caboose to the Great Northern Railway Historical Society.

"We bargained hard and paid a dollar for it but with the understanding that we would bring it back to the place where it was built," said Schreiber, who gave the opening remarks at Friday's dedication.

There was also a tour of the X-240 and an unveiling of "The Gandy Dancer" sculpture by Ron Euteneuer at the outdoor event. The sculpture was built out of railroad tools and equipment.

"STARail Museum negotiated a lease with the city to operate this," said Euteneuer, who believes his grandfather worked on the caboose based on its date of production.

The plywood caboose arrived in Waite Park about four weeks ago and is still being renovated. The museum is selling placards to fund the caboose's operating expenses.

"It's a static display," Euteneuer said of the caboose, which drew a crowd of about 50 on Friday. "It's bolted down to the tracks, it's not going to move."

The caboose sits on a 150-foot section of rails dating back to 1888 that was original to Waite Park and the Great Northern Railway.

"When the caboose was constructed, it had kerosene lamps and a coal stove; we're not going to do that because that's not safe, of course," Euteneuer said. "We're going to use it as an events center -- have meetings in it, so it can generate some income to support itself -- insurance, maintenance and so forth."

Railroading is in Euteneuer's blood. The Waite Park native followed his grandfather by working as a steward in passenger cars.

Al Ringsmuth is president of the STARail Museum project and former longtime mayor of Waite Park. He also helped build cabooses in Waite Park and spoke at the dedication.

The Great Northern Car Shops in Waite Park built rail cars about mile west of Crossroads Center, and many of those who worked in the shops turned out for a tour of the caboose.

"This really has added a lot to this area," Waite Park Mayor Rick Miller told the crowd. "This is a great spot for it. It's along the Wobegon Trail, people will see it, people will tour this facility."

STARail organizers want to place a railroad museum in one of the former BNSF Railway car shops along Third Street. Efforts to bring a railroad museum to Waite Park date back to about 2007.

"We know that's an ambitious plan, but that's our goal with the help of the City Council

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